Senior twins Seth and Ryan Foster teamed up to get the win and the save as Western Carolina defeated ETSU 9-5 Sunday at Hennon Stadium in Cullowhee, N.C.
With the win, the Catamounts get the sweep over the Bucs, improving to 17-8 overall and a league best 7-1 in the Southern Conference. ETSU fell to 7-15, 3-6.
Seth Foster (2-2) pitched the first five innings and gave up seven hits, three runs and two walks while striking out a season-high six. Ryan Foster came in with no outs and ETSU runners on second and third in the eighth. The 6-4 right-hander struck out the Bucs’ top three hitters to get out of the jam and worked a perfect ninth, including a strikeout, for his third save of the season.
Down 9-4, ETSU tried to rally in the eighth. Freshman outfielder Jordan Abromovitz got a leadoff walk and scored after consecutive singles by Bo Calloway and Chris Clear. An error allowed Calloway and Clear to move up. Ryan Foster came out of the bullpen and fanned Tim Turner, Caleb Moore and Andy Howdeshell to get out of the inning.
ETSU was led by Clear, who was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Calloway and Howdeshell each added two hits, while five Bucs each had one RBI. ETSU freshman starter Steven Calicutt (2-2) took the loss, allowing six hits, six runs and four walks with five strikeouts. For Western, who was out-hit 11-9, Sigmon was the only Catamount to have multiple hits, going 2-for-3. However, only one WCU starter did not have a hit on the day.
East Tennessee State returns home for a three-game SoCon series with Wofford this weekend. A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. at Cardinal Park, while a single game is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.
On Saturday, ETSU scored three runs in the top of the eighth, but Western was able to hold on for a 13-12 victory over the Buccaneers.
Western Carolina raced out to a 7-2 lead through four innings, but the Bucs exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 7-7. Western answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to regain an 11-7 advantage.
ETSU cut its deficit to two, 11-9, with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh only to have the Cats post two runs in the bottom of the eighth for a 13-9 lead. The Bucs scored three in the top of the eighth to make the score 13-12, but could get no closer.
Turner took the loss for the Bucs, falling to 1-4 on the year. He allowed 10 hits and 10 runs (six earned) in four-plus innings of work. East Tennessee State, who committed five errors on the day, was led by Caleb Moore and freshman third baseman Shane Byrne.
The pair each had three hits, while Byrne drove in four and Moore scored twice. Sophomore designated hitter Davis Burklin, freshman first baseman Blake Church and freshman center fielder Steven Calicutt each contributed two hits with Church and Calicutt combined for five RBI.
WCU’s Derrick Hawk improved to 3-0 on the year, pitching 2 2/3 innings in relief. Ryan Foster got the final four outs of the game to record his second save of the season and the 17th of his career, which is only three shy of the school record.
On Friday, Western Carolina scored at least one run in each of its innings, thanks to five home runs on the day, en route to a 20-1 victory over ETSU.
Western sophomore Brad Josey improved to 3-0 on the year, tossing six scoreless innings. Josey, who allowed seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out two. Over his last two outings, Josey has not allowed a run or a walk in 13 innings, while fanning nine.
ETSU got on the board in the top of the seventh when freshman Blake Church hit a leadoff home run. Western answered with a single run in the bottom half of the inning on Buchanan’s home run.
The Bucs were led by Moore, who went 3-for-3, while Church was 2-for-3 on the day. Junior Josh Kite (2-3) took the loss for ETSU. He allowed nine hits, seven runs (six earned) and four walks while striking out two in three innings.

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