Feb. 25, 2001
Myrtle Beach, S.C. - Western Carolina used two walks, a single and a hit batter to score one run in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Delaware, 7-6, at the Baseball at the Beach Tournament Sunday at Coastal Federal Field.
Catamount left fielder Alan Beck, who was 5-for-12 in the three-day event, started the ninth with a walk. Rod Goldston followed with a single to center, moving Beck to third. With Goldston moving to second on the attempt to throw out Beck at third, Donovan Minero was intentionally walked to load the bases. First baseman Todd Buchanan was hit by a Brian Zeigler pitch to force home the winning run.
Goldston led the way for the Catamounts (4-8), going 3-for-4 at the plate, while third baseman Ryan Schade added a pair of hits in four plate appearances.
Western Carolina jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs on two hits with two errors -- the only two errors on the day for the Blue Hens -- in the bottom of the first. Jeremy Hamrick and Todd Roper began the inning with consecutive singles, followed by walk to Beck. Two batters later, Minero was hit by a pitch to bring home the first run. WCU plated two more runners on a dropped fly ball by Buchanan. Although Buchanan was later caught stealing, Minero scored on the back-end of the play.
Delaware (1-3) cut the lead in half by scoring two runs on only one hit in the top of the fourth. The Blue Hens were the beneficiaries of three Catamount errors and a wild pitch. However, WCU added to its lead with a in the bottom half when Buchanan scored on an RBI single by Schade.
Delaware tied the game at 5-5 in its half of the fifth, scoring three runs thanks to a pair of triples and a double in the frame. The Catamounts once again regained their advantage by scoring a single run in the bottom of the fifth. Beck delivered a one-out double and was brought home on a Goldston single up the middle.
The Blue Hens knotted the game at 6-6 in the eighth on a leadoff home run by Peter Maestrales, who was 2-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored to lead Delaware.
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Western Carolina will return to action Wednesday (Feb. 28) when it hosts UNC Asheville. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. at Hennon Stadium.
