Nov. 8, 2008

Cullowhee, N.C. - For the second-straight night, the Gold Squad used a base hit from senior J.C. Lyons to edge its counterparts on the Purple Squad in the Western Carolina Baseball Fall World Series. Lyons belted a solo home run down the left field line, clearing the Purple Monster in the top half of the fifth inning of a five-inning affair to lift his squad to the 3-2 victory.

Gold team starter, junior LHP Chris Masters, earned the win after working four innings with seven strikeouts, while freshman Tyler Brownlow picked up the save after tossing a 1-2-3 fifth with a pair of strikeouts. Senior Garrett Ozar was again saddled with the loss in relief of starter, sophomore Matt Benedict.

Entering the contest with a one-game advantage, the Gold Squad struck first in the top of the second inning. Junior Reid Rollison drew a one-out walk and later came home to score all the way from first on a perfectly executed hit-and-run on a 0-2, two-out pitch to Kyle Baker, who ended up at second with an RBI double.

In the bottom of the frame, Lee Murray reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second when senior Mitchell Hatley was plunked by a pitch - the second HBP by Masters in the opening two frames. Murray later scored on an RBI single by Andy John to knot the score at one-apiece.

The Purple team, again donning the black jerseys, claimed its first lead in the third inning as junior Brent Greer drew a lead-off walk and then advanced on a wild pitch and eventually scoring on a passed ball to take a 2-1 lead, which it held until the fourth.

Baker scored the tying run after opening the inning with a walk. An inning later, with things still knotted at two, Lyons hammered the second homer hit by the Catamounts during the fall festivities to hand the Gold Squad the 3-2 edge.

In the final inning - the bottom of the fifth - Brownlow worked in order with back-to-back strikeouts and a fly out to left to end the game.

Lyons finished 1-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts and the long ball. Junior Nick Liles led all hitters with a 2-for-4 showing including a double while both Rollison and Greer drew a game-high two walks apiece.

The Catamounts are set to conclude fall workouts on Saturday morning with one final scrimmage beginning at 11:15 am.

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