Cullowhee, N.C. -- Casey Bigham and Cammy Pereira each homered and Emily DeMonte earned her second victory over the weekend as Furman topped Western Carolina, 6-2, in the rubber game of a best-of-three Southern Conference series Sunday afternoon at the Catamount Softball Complex in Cullowhee, N.C.

The victory improved the Paladins to 13-33 overall and 5-9 in league play, while the Catamounts slipped to 20-30 overall and 5-12 in the SoCon. Furman's series victory marked its sixth straight versus the Catamounts.

After Western Carolina grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Furman answered immediately as junior Casey Bigham homered on the first pitch in the top of the second to key a three-run inning. Taylor Vahle and Mackense Greico drew walks and Marissa Guimbarda delivered a two-out, two-run single to right field to give the Paladins a 3-1 advantage.

Lauren Duggar helped ignite rallies for the Paladins in the fourth and fifth innings. The senior singled with one out in the fourth ahead of Pereira's two-run clout to left-center field and laced a two-out, RBI single to center field to stake Furman to a 6-1 lead in the top of the fifth.

Western Carolina pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth, but Furman escaped a bases loaded jam when Bigham fielded a grounder and forced out a Catamount runner at third base to end the rally.

DeMonte improved to 11-15 in the circle for the season and 4-3 with a 2.06 ERA in seven starts versus SoCon opposition this season. The senior scattered six hits and allowed two runs over seven innings. She walked two batters and fanned three Catamounts.

Duggar finished 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs, while Pereira went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Bigham homered, walked and scored twice.

Shaina Reed (8-15) suffered the loss for Western Carolina after allowing five runs on six hits over 3.1 innings of work. Senior Hunter Gibbons went 3-for-4 with a double for the Catamounts and Kailey McNeil went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

Furman concludes the regular season next weekend, May 4-5, when it hosts Mercer in a three-game series at Pepsi Stadium. Saturday's series opener is slated for a 5 p.m. first pitch with Sunday's doubleheader set for 2 p.m.