Cullowhee, N.C. -- Junior Caroline Cash lined a two-out, RBI single to center field in the top of the seventh to help Furman claimed a 7-6 victory over Western Carolina and a three-game sweep of the Catamounts in Southern Conference softball action on Sunday at the Catamount Softball Complex.

The victory improved Furman to 19-16 overall and 5-1 in the SoCon, while the Catamounts slipped to 8-20 overall and 0-6 in the league.

With the final game of the series knotted at 6-6 in the top of the seventh, Taylor Vahle was hit by the first pitch of the inning and moved to second base on Brittany Houston's sacrifice bunt. Emma Ogburn struck out and Lauren Duggar worked a walk to put two on with two outs before Cash lined a 1-2 pitch up the middle to score Vahle from second to break the tie.

Erica Hayes lined a leadoff single to right field to start the bottom of the seventh before Madison Armstrong was hit by a pitch. Paladin reliever Emily Demonte settled down to fan Hunter Gibbons and get Kara Salvo to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

Demonte, who allowed just one run on three hits in 2.2 innings of relief, earned the victory to improve to 6-8 on the season.

Furman jumped out to a 6-1 lead through four and a half innings. Starting pitcher Lindsey Bert emptied the bases with a three-run double in the top of the third to put Furman in front and Western Carolina got on the board with Hayes' solo blast in the bottom of the frame.

In the top of the fourth, Candace Johnson opened the inning with a double and scored on Houston's double into the gap. Lauren Duggar lined a single to left field that was misplayed by the left fielder, allowing Houston to score. Elise Smith delivered a pinch hit, RBI double to plate pinch runner Courtney Jacobs in the top of the fifth to extend the lead to 6-1.

The Catamounts put together a five-run rally in the bottom of the frame. Abigail Daniels singled to center and Shaina Reed followed with a two-run homer to right field. Ashlyn Long made it back-to-back blasts with a solo homer and Armstrong singled to chase Bert from the game. Gibbons greeted Demonte with a towering two-run blast to left-center to knot the game at 6-6.

Lily Hayes, who allowed a run on one hit and three walks in two innings of relief, suffered the loss to slip to 4-7.

Cash and Duggar each collected two hits apiece and drew a base on balls as Furman totaled eight hits, eight walks and were hit by three pitches. Long, Hayes and Daniels each notched a pair of hits for the Catamounts.

Furman returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to face Georgia State in non-conference action at Bob Heck Field.



Jordan Caskey, Furman Sports Information