Hayes, Weatherman play big roles in Western Carolina wins

From college reports The Basics

Score: Western Carolina 14, Howard 0, Western Carolina 3, Delaware State 1

Records: Western Carolina 2-0, Howard 0-6, Delaware State 0-1

Location: Cyrill Softball, Spartanburg, S.C.

SPARTANBURG, S.C.

— Western Carolina softball opened the 2017 season 2-0 Friday with a 14-0 win over Howard and a 3-1 victory against Delaware State in day one of the Buffalo Wild Wings Classic hosted by USC Upstate.

Game 1

Turning Point: Western Carolina scored in all four innings they were at bat, including a grand slam by sophomore Hunter Gibbons in the second inning, to secure the win over Howard. The game was shortened to five innings due to the run rule.

How it Happened: Western Carolina got on the scoreboard early when the Catamounts plated a run in the first inning off an RBI double by Kara Salvo to score Abigail Daniels. The Catamounts had their biggest inning of the game in the second inning putting five runs on the board aided by Gibbons grand slam. Courtney Price made it back-to-back home runs, in the second inning, when she hit a solo shot. WCU scored four runs in both the third and fourth inning to close out the game. Inside the Box Score: - Sophomore pitcher Lily Hayes, a former Sonoraville High standout, had a strong showing tossing a three-hit shutout and striking out three and picked up the win in five innings.

- Western Carolina had 11 hits in the game.

- Salvo, Gibbons, former Calhoun High standout Emily Weatherman and Erica Hayes each had two hits in the game.

- Abigail Daniels scored four runs in the game and also had a hit.

Game 2

Turning Point: With Western Carolina clinging to a 2-1 lead, pinch hitter Emily Weatherman got a RBI single scoring E. Hayes to add the insurance run and secure the win.

How it Happened: Western Carolina got on the board scoring two runs in the top of the first courtesy of Gibbons two-run homerun scoring Salvo in the process. Delta State shaved the lead in half scoring a run in the bottom of the first. Weatherman’s pinchhit RBI added a third run for the Catamounts and gave the team the insurance run. Inside the Box Score: - Sophomore pitcher Shaina Reed got her first start as a Catamount and also picked up her first victory. She went four innings allowing six hits, one run and striking out three.

- Senior hurler Courtney Buchanan picked up the save tossing three scoreless innings, not allowing a hit and striking out three.

- WCU had seven hits in the game and gave up six. WCU also had one error. - Price went 2-of-3 in the game. News & Notes: - Western Carolina’s opening season win over Howard improves the Catamounts record to 3-9 in season openers.

- Daniels’ four runs scored against Howard ties her career-high.

- The shutout for L. Hayes is the second of her career.

- Western Carolina starts the season 2-0 for the first time since 2011 when the club reeled off six straight wins to start the season.

- Buchanan earned the third save of her career.

- With two home runs in the pair of games on Friday, Gibbons now has 10 in her career ranking her tied for 18th in the WCU record books for home runs in a career.

Next up: The Lady Catamounts visit USC-Upstate at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

In other recent college softball news:

Mills throws complete game for Reinhardt WALESKA, Ga.

Reinhardt put — No. 16 in a long but fruitful day at the 2017 Reinhardt Softball Invitational Saturday at Ken White Field as the Lady Eagles defeated No. 13 Georgia Gwinnett, 6-1, before topping Brescia, 7-3, to improve to 4-0 for the tournament.

The Lady Eagles took advantage of wildness in the circle to score five runs in the opening inning en route to a victory over No. 13 GGC. After leadoff singles by Taylor Weeks and Taylor Braselton, back-to-back walks to Maddie Evans and Balie Willis brought in the first run of the game. Two strikeouts made it look as though RU would not be able to get anything else on the scoreboard in the inning, but Sarah Kate Jenkins walked and Cassidy Howren was hit by a pitch to make it 3-0, sending GGC to the bullpen. Hannah McKinley and Braselton would then each draw walks, giving the Lady Eagles five big runs in the first inning.

RU tacked on a sixth run in the third inning. Emily Draper reached on an infield hit, then two batters later, Howren doubled to the wall in left-center to plate Draper. While GGC would score a run in the fourth, the Grizzlies got nothing else across against Madison Luck. The senior allowed six hits in seven innings while striking out three to earn the win.

GAME 2: RU scored two runs in the third and three in the fourth to put away Brescia, 7-3, in the final game of the day. RU led 1-0 after a Willis RBI double in the first, but Brescia would tie the score in the top of the third. RU came back in the bottom of the inning as Willis drove in a second run with an RBI ground out and Jessica Baker connected on a single to center for an RBI as well.

GAME 1:

RU took advantage of Brescia errors to score three times in the fourth, with the only RBI coming on a bases loaded walk to Willis for her third RBI of the game.

Baker would reach on an error in the next at-bat with the paths still full of Lady Eagles, allowing two more runs to come home.

Brescia pulled closer in the fifth with two unearned runs, but a Braselton sacrifice fly scored Weeks, who tripled to start the sixth inning, as the Lady Eagles pushed the lead back to four late.

Former Gordon Central High standout Maci Mills would collect her seventh strikeout of the game on a swinging punch out for the final out of the game, giving the hurler a complete-game win for RU.

Martin has multiple hits in Lady Bobcats win YOUNG HARRIS, Ga.

— The Georgia College Softball squad (6-8) pounded out 11 hits for nine runs in a 9-1 run-rule win over Brevard College (1-4) Saturday at the YHC Softball Tournament.

The big inning was the fourth, when the Bobcats brought in four runs. First baseman Cassidy Rice ( Du Quoin, Illinois) started it off with a solo home run, the first round-tripper of the senior’s career. Shortstop Baylee Hall (Hephzibah) drove in another run with a single.

Rice finished 2-for-3 with the home run, a triple, two RBIs and a run scored. Leftfielder Holland Coursey (Sugar Hill) had three hits in four trips, scoring once. Rightfielder Deja Lester (Jacksonville) and designated player Shawnda Martin (Calhoun) had two hits each, Lester scoring twice and Martin once. If there is a former local standout making an impact on the college level, please email their name and school to afarrer@calhountimes.com.