Catamounts Close Day Two With Dramatic Rally

CHARLESTON, S.C. ? Western Carolina’s Ross Heffley scored on an error in the bottom of the 12^th inning to give the Catamounts a 7-6 victory over College of Charleston in game seven of the 2010 Bennett Hofford Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Carolina Ford Dealers.

With the bases loaded and one out Cameron Dulling hit a ground ball to first base, but Greg Blake’s throw to the plate was off line and allowed Heffley to score the winning run. 

With the victory, Western Carolina (36-19-1) earns a day off and will return to action Saturday at 9 a.m. against the winner of Friday’s contest between Appalachian State and College of Charleston (42-16).

Brandon Johnson (8-1) earned the win for WCU, giving up no runs and scattering three hits. He struck out two in four innings of work. Dre Watts (0-1) took the loss for the Cougars, pitching 2.1 innings and surrendering one unearned run on two hits.

Heffley led the Catamounts, going 3-for-5 at the plate with one RBI and the game-winning run. Designated hitter Matt Johns went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. First baseman Tyler White also brought in two runs.

Leading the Cougars was catcher Rob Kral, who hit 3-for-7. Outfielder Cole Rakar went 2-for-7 with two RBIs. Shortstop Jamie Holler also registered two hits for CofC.

The Cougars took a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Holler singled to left field to score outfielder Baker Knox for CofC’s first run. Two batters later, Rakar hit a single to right center plating Holler and Brewer.

CofC added three more runs in the fifth, with two coming on wild pitches and the other a result of an errant throw by the catcher.

The Catamounts put two on the board in the sixth. Johns homered to left center, bringing in shortstop Austin Schultz who reached base after being hit by a pitch. WCU trimmed to lead to three (6-3) in the seventh when outfielder Trevor Collias scored on a fly out by fellow outfielder Cameron Dullnig.

In the bottom of eighth the Catamounts cut the game to two (6-4) when Johns tripled down the left field line and was brought home on a single to left center by Heffley.

WCU tied it at six in the bottom of the ninth. With the bases loaded, White singled to left field scoring Goulder and Colliasto force extra innings.

CofC committed three errors to WCU’s two. The Cougars left 15 runners on base, while the Catamounts stranded eight.