Catamounts Lose 2 of 3 To Mocs In SoCon Play

On Friday April 6, 2007 the Catamount softball team began a three game series against SoCon rival Chattanooga. In the opening game, The Catamounts won a nail biter 5-4 thanks to freshman Mollie Fowler’s walk off homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning. However, that one win would be the only one for Western as they lost the next two to Chattanooga on Saturday April 7 in a doubleheader, 4-2 and 11-1. In the Friday game, the Catamounts defeated the top team in the Southern Conference thanks to Fowler’s homer down the stretch. This was a game of highs for Western as they won their fourth straight game, the longest winning streak of the season. They also hit four homeruns against The Mocs, the most in a game this season. In the seventh inning, Western had the game all but wrapped up. They had a 4-1 lead over the conference’s top team, but things began to get a little shaky in the final inning. Sophomore pitcher Lauren Ross, who threw six stellar innings, began losing composure as she gave up a walk, and a homerun. With the homerun, the Mocs trailed by one, 4-3. Head coach Stephanie Hornak replaced Ross with junior relief pitcher Savannah Filley. Filley gave up a walk to Lady Moc Jeannie Cochran. After a passed ball, Cochran advanced to second. With two outs in the inning, Cochran eventually scored on a ground-out tying the contest up at 4 apiece. In the bottom of the eighth inning though, Fowler hit the walk-off homerun and won the game for the Catamounts, her second of the day. Fowler finished the game 3-for-3 with 2 RBI and 2 runs. The four homeruns came from: Fowler with two, sophomore Stephanie Beatty hit her seventh homer of the season in the bottom of the first, and senior Nikki Bost hit her second homer of the season in the bottom of the third. Riding a four game winning streak, the Catamounts looked to extend their streak against the same team the very next day. However, the Moccasins would not allow it to happen as they defeated the Cats 4-2 and 11-1 in the doubleheader ending their winning streak. The losses move WCU to 18&24 overall with a 3&6 record in the Southern Conference.In game one, the Catamounts had some strong performances from the team. However, that was not enough to keep the Mocs from taking the 4-2 victory. On the mound in game one for the Catamounts was junior Savannah Filley. She threw 4.1 innings and gave up four runs on six hits and threw three strikeouts. She was credited with the loss, falling to 4&5 on the season. The Mocs captured the lead early in the contest. They scored a run in the first and second innings of the game, putting them ahead 2-0. In the bottom of the second inning, the Catamounts got on the scoreboard when sophomore Lauren Ross hit her sixth homerun of the season launching one over the leftfield wall. Then in the bottom of the third inning, the Catamounts made it an even ballgame when Bost scored thanks to an RBI single by Beatty. Chattanooga put together two more runs in the fifth inning, and that would turn out to be just enough for the victory. Filley was replaced after giving up those two runs by sophomore Mendy McKenzie. She got the final two outs of the inning. In the sixth inning, however, the Catamounts got themselves out of a huge jam when they recorded the first triple play in the team’s history. The Mocs had the bases loaded, when McKenzie grabbed a line drive towards the pitcher; she quickly tossed it to Beatty at third, who hurled it over to first to end the threat of the Mocs. McKenzie came in and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings. She allowed just two hits and threw two strikeouts. With the two strikeouts, McKenzie now has 100 on the season. Game two of the doubleheader marked the third game of the series between these two ball clubs. However, the Mocs had the Catamount’s number early in the contest. In the opening inning, the Mocs scored three runs en route to an 11-1 thrashing of the Catamounts. Ross was the starting pitcher again for the Catamounts in this game, and she started off a little shaky. She threw four walks in the first inning, two wild pitches, and walked in a run with the bases loaded. In the second inning, she gave up a single and a pair of walks to load the bases. Head coach Christine Hornak immediately replaced Ross with Filley. Filley came in and forced a groundout and a strikeout to end the inning. In the bottom of the second inning, the Catamounts had an excellent opportunity to get some momentum and to get on the scoreboard. It wasn’t enough as The Moccasins spoiled any chances of the Cats getting into the game offensively. Ross drew a walk, and Fowler hit a single to place runners at first and second. Junior Jamie Swank hit into a fielder’s choice. Ross would have been out at third if the third baseman had not dropped the ball. This loaded the bases with no one out. Three straight out ended any chances of the Catamounts gaining the lead in the contest. The only offense came from Bost who hit her third homerun of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning avoiding the shutout. In the sixth inning, the Catamounts gave up eight runs and hopes dwindled of any possible comeback. The Catamounts look to put these two losses behind them and move on against SoCon rivals UNC-G in their next series.