The Presbyterian College softball team dropped two games in non-conference action Tuesday afternoon in Cullowhee, N.C., with Western Carolina striking out a combined 15 batters en route to a 2-1 win in game one and recording two three-run innings in the first and fifth to take the 7-3 game two victory. Kersten Legacki added her second home run in game one, with Kelsie Sanchez recording her fifth of the season in game two.
The Blue Hose, who drop to 17-14, return to Big South action this coming weekend, traveling to Campbell for a doubleheader Friday, April 1, at 4 p.m., then a single game Saturday, April 2, at 1 p.m. WCU improves to 23-11
Game 1: WCU 2, PC 1
After a quiet inning for both teams in the first, the Blue Hose put runners on first and second off a passed ball and WCU error. That would be it as the Catamounts retired the next three off a ground out, strike out, and pop up to third to end the threat.
After a 1-2-3 inning for PC in the top of the third, the Catamounts put a runner on second off a double from Madison Armstrong, the game's first hit. WCU advanced her to third off a fielder's choice, and then scored her off a RBI single from Kara Salvo. The Catamounts made it 2-0 the next at-bat off another RBI single, this one from Courtney Price.
The Blue Hose got a run back with a solo home run by Legacki, her second of the season, with a shot over the right field wall in the fourth inning.
A relatively quiet fifth inning for both teams, PC opened the sixth with a single by Hope Rogers, but that would be it as the next two batters struck out, and the third grounded out, to end the inning. WCU went down in order to send the game into the seventh inning.
Catamount pitcher Taylor Sigmon kept PC from starting a rally in the seventh as she struck out two and forced a ground out for the final play of the game.
Sigmon would earn the save, her fifth, for WCU, going 2.0 innings and striking out four. Courtney Buchanan struck out a career-high 11 in 5.0 innings, giving up just two hits and one run for the win (9-1).
Sydney Seigler threw for PC, taking the loss after giving up just two runs off four hits with two strikeouts.
WCU collected four hits, off four different Catamounts, with Salvo and Price posting a RBI apiece.
PC was led by Legacki with her one hit and one RBI. Rogers and Longanecker added to the Blue Hose three hits. Both teams had an error.
Game 2: WCU 7, PC 3
The Blue Hose struck early to open game two, with Sanchez knocking over her sixth home run of the season to give PC a 1-0 lead. It was short-lived as Price hit a two-RBI double and Crystal Cyr added a RBI single, the second of three hits in the inning, to take a 3-1 lead after the first.
PC looked to rally in the third after Katie Brown opened the frame with a double. After reaching third off a sacrifice bunt she was tagged out at home on a fielder's choice to keep the Blue Hose off the board in the inning.
The Blue Hose got things going in the top of the fifth, with a single by Brown with two outs. Blaire Miller followed it up with a double to right, with Megan Anderson recording her first hit of the day, a two-RBI single to tie the game at 3-3.
Salvo ended the tie in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to make it 4-3. A follow-up RBI double from Karley Harkey and a RBI single by Victoria Mariscal propelled the Catamounts up by three, 6-3.
After an up and down PC top of the sixth inning, Western Carolina added its seventh run in the bottom off a Salvo RBI single. The next at-bat Cyr hit a line shot to Sanchez but she made the sliding save and threw to second for the inning-ending double-play.
Rebekka Gross collected a single in the top of the seventh with two outs, but the enxt batter grounded out to end the game and potential rally.
PC finished with six hits, two coming from Brown. Anderson led in RBI with two. Brown took the loss (9-6) after going 3.2 innings and surrendering three earned runs off four hits. Natasha Sherrod came on in relief for 1.1 innings, giving up just one run off three hits.
WCU posted 10 hits, with Salvo leading the team with two hits and two RBI. In relief, Sigmon earned the win (7-7), going 2.1 innings and giving up one hit and no runs. Sigmon and starter Buchanan combined for 10 strikeouts.
