CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Samford University baseball team cut an eight-run deficit down to just three in the late innings but could get no closer as the Bulldogs dropped an 11-8 decision in the first game of a three-game series at Western Carolina Thursday evening.
 
With the loss, Samford falls to 15-16 overall and 2-2 in Southern Conference play. Western Carolina improves to 15-18 overall and 1-3 in league action.
 
For Samford in the loss, Towns King went 3-for-5 with a double, a grand slam and four RBI. Colton Ledbetter went 2-for-5 with a double for the Bulldogs, while Stephen Klein drove in two runs for Samford. Jacob Cravey (0-3) pitched 4.0 innings, giving up six runs on nine hits to take the loss for the Bulldogs.
 
Western Carolina was led by Pascanel Ferreras, going 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBI. Will Prater also drove in four runs for the Catamounts, going 2-for-4 with a double. Zach Franklin (2-1) pitched 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits to earn the win on the mound for the Catamounts. Zebby Matthews pitched the final 1.1 innings without allowing a hit to pick up his first save of the season.
 
Samford jumped on top first with two runs in the top of the first inning. Will David singled to right-center field to drive in Garrett Howe for the game's first run. King later scored from third base on a ground out by Klein for a 2-0 Samford lead.
 
Western Carolina answered with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Prater doubled to left-center field to drive in Ferreras and Zach Ketterman to knot the score at 2-2. Prater later scored from third base on a ground out by Nate Stocum for a 3-2 Catamount lead.
 
In the bottom of the second inning, WCU's Ferreras singled to singled to center field to drive in Cameron Murray for a 4-2 WCU lead. Prater later singled up the middle to drive in Ferreras and Ketterman for a 6-2 Catamount advantage.
 
Samford's Kaden Dreier led the top of the fourth inning off with a home run to center field to cut the WCU lead to 6-3. Western Carolina added a run in the fifth inning when Immanuel Wilder scored from third base when Seth Graves grounded into a double play for a 7-3 WCU lead.
 
Western Carolina plated four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to push its lead to 11-3. Ketterman singled to drive in Brandon Butterworth for the first run of the inning. Ferreras later hit a three-run home run to left field for the eight-run Catamount lead.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, Garrett Staton scored when Klein reached base on a fielder's choice to make the score 11-4. The Bulldogs drew to within three runs in the top of the eighth inning when King hit a grand slam to center field to cut the WCU lead to 11-8.
 
The Bulldogs, however, were unable to plate any more runs and the game ended in an 11-8 Western Carolina win.
 
The teams will continue their series with a game Friday. The game is set for a 4 p.m. (CT) start from Cullowhee, N.C.
 
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