March 9, 2010

Cullowhee, N.C. - After posting a 2-1 record last week at the Keith LeClair Classic at East Carolina, the Western Carolina Catamounts return to the home diamond Tuesday and Wednesday in non-conference play against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville for a two-game set at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

Both games are scheduled for first pitch at 4:00 pm with live GameTracker coverage - presented by Carolina West Sports Medicine and the WestCare Health System - available online at CatamountSports.com.

This week's pair of scheduled meetings is the first-time in which WCU and SIUE have ever met in baseball.

Western Carolina (8-2) is schedule to start freshman LHP Mat Batts, who will be making his first collegiate start. The Pfafftown, N.C., native has made five appearances early for the Catamounts - all in relief, tallying just two complete innings of work. He has struck out four in recording the six outs in which he has credit. Opponents are hitting just .143 against the leftie on the season.

WCU has started out with eight wins through its first 10 games for the second-consecutive year under head coach Bobby Moranda. A season ago, the Catamounts opened the year 10-2 before visiting the College of Charleston to open conference season. WCU will look to do the same before traveling to The Citadel this weekend to open SoCon action.

SIU-Edwardsville (2-8) comes to Cullowhee after dropping three in tournament play at Austin Peay State in Clarksville, Tenn. The Cougars, which are an independent NCAA Division I program - and future member of the Ohio Valley Conference - dropped three of the four games in the tournament play and have lost six of their last seven games overall.

Elsewhere, the Catamounts were among three Southern Conference teams to grace the first National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) poll that was released on Monday, March 8. WCU was joined on the poll by Appalachian State (9-0) and the College of Charleston (9-3), which are the top three teams from the conference early this season.