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\nFirst pitch in the rekindling of the I-40 mountain rivalry between the Catamounts and Bulldogs is scheduled for 4 p.m., and is slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats linked online at CatamountSports.com.
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\nThe game marks the front end of the nonconference home-and-home, with the two scheduled to meet in Cullowhee on Tuesday, May 5.
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\nWCU carries its momentum from the Southern Conference-opening series victory at home over the preseason league favorite Samford over the weekend into the road-heavy week, which continues this weekend with a trip to Charleston S.C., to face The Citadel in conference play.
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\nThe Catamounts just completed an eight-game homestand, boasting a 6-2 record during the stretch to run their seasonal home record to 12-3, and give the squad a 17-8 overall record 25 games into the season. It’s Western Carolina’s best start since 2021, when the squad opened the year 18-7, before finishing 28-21.
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\nWCU continues a scheduling oddity where eight-straight games were slated against “Bulldog” monikers, beginning last Tuesday with the 8-4 win over the Runnin’ Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb. That stretch continued by taking 2-of-3 from the Samford Bulldogs. The string continues this week against the Asheville Bulldogs before concluding with The Citadel Bulldogs in Charleston.
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![\"2026](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ShrinersSoConShowdown_BaseballTourney_BANNER.png\")
<\/a>\nCatamount Diamond Notes Entering the Week:<\/p>\n
\nScouting UNC Asheville:
\n\tWCU has raised its seasonal team batting average to .274 collectively, with FOUR regulars batting above the .300 threshold \u2013 Marshall McGowan<\/a> with a team-best .370 average through nine games played, followed by Jackson Lyda<\/a> (.350), Wyatt Stanley<\/a> (.318) and Jaylen Jones<\/a> (.300);
\n\tThe Catamounts enter averaging 6.56 runs on 8.9 hits per game, while limiting foes to 5.4 runs on 9.4 hits per game. WCU has a team ERA of 5.07 with 207 combined strikeouts, the third-most in the SoCon. WCU leads the conference with 66 strikeouts looking as a staff;
\n\tAfter being held to just one base hit in last Friday’s series opener against Samford, the Catamounts have just six modest hitting streaks \u2013 Jackson Lyda<\/a> has a three-game active streak, with Carlos Diaz<\/a>, Walker Fox<\/a>, Jaylen Jones<\/a>, Wyatt Stanley<\/a>, and Trent Turner<\/a> each with hits in back-to-back games;
\n\tJackson Lyda<\/a> leads a trio of Catamounts with double-digit streaks of reaching base safely entering the week, boasting a season-long run of 13-straight games of safely reaching base \u2026 Wyatt Stanley<\/a> and Jaylen Jones<\/a> have both reached in 10 straight games, their season-long streak;
\n\tTrent Turner<\/a> was among WCU’s leaders last week, batting .400 (6-of-15) with an .857 slugging percentage, collecting a double and two home runs \u2013 hitting a two-run shot in the win over Gardner-Webb and a game-winning three-run homer in the eighth inning of Sunday’s series finale against Samford \u2026 He scored four runs and drove home eight \u2026 Turner raised his batting average 35 points last week;
\n\tWestern Carolina is 10-1 when leading after six innings, 9-1 when leading after seven innings, and a perfect 10-0 when carrying a lead into the ninth inning \u2026 the Catamounts have rallied for six victories when trailing after six innings, four wins when trailing after seven, and three wins (3-7) when trailing after eight frames;\u00a0
<\/p>\n
\nThe Bulldogs (12-12) enter Tuesday’s meeting with Western Carolina amidst a two-game slide, dropping the final two games of the road series at Villanova, 10-4 and 11-6, last weekend. UNCA had a five-game win streak earlier this season, including a home midweek win over SoCon-foe Wofford, with four wins over Alabama A&M. The ‘Dogs are 7-6 at home at Greenwood Field this season.
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\nWCU and Asheville have one common opponent to date as both teams hosted Morehead State. The Bulldogs fell to the Eagles, 16-11, while the Catamounts won three of the four matchups against MSU in Cullowhee.
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\nThe Bulldogs enter the week batting .291 as a team with 44 doubles, six triples, and 15 home runs. UNCA is averaging 6.9 runs on 9.45 hits per game this season, while surrendering 7.0 runs on 9.7 hits per outing. Asheville has a team ERA of 6.84 over 200.0 innings of work, with 173 combined strikeouts against 125 walks.
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\nUNC Asheville was picked ninth in the nine-team Big South Conference preseason coaches poll. WCU has 12 total games scheduled against teams from the Big South Conference. The Catamounts went 1-1 against Radford in a pair of neutral field games in Charlotte, and have home-and-homes against USC Upstate (0-1 this year), Gardner-Webb (1-0 this year), Presbyterian, and UNC Asheville. WCU also visits Winthrop for a three-game set April 2-4.
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\nWestern Carolina and UNC Asheville \u2013 Series History:
\nTuesday marks the 85th all-time series meeting between the Catamounts and Bulldogs on the baseball diamond, with WCU leading the series 59-25, including six-straight victories dating back to 2023, each under the guidance of head coach Alan Beck<\/a>. The Catamounts hold a 24-12 mark in road games in the series, including four-straight victories at Greenwood Field dating back to 2019. WCU has won seven of the last 10 series meetings.
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\nOn Deck for Western Carolina:
\nThe Catamounts travel further down I-26 this weekend for a three-game set against The Citadel (9-13, 1-2 SoCon). The Bulldogs host Presbyterian in nonconference play at Joseph P. Riley Park in Charleston on Wednesday to open a nine-game home stand, welcoming WCU to town for three beginning on Friday.
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\nEach game this weekend is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats linked online at CatamountSports.com.
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\nKeep track of everything related to Catamount baseball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com\/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountbsb).
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\n![\"2026](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026_OneDayForWestern_SLIDER.png\")
<\/a>
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\n\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Story Links
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