May 20, 2006

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Will Stembridge went 4-for-4, scored three runs, and drove in a pair of runs to propel Furman to a 10-6 win over Western Carolina in the second game of regular season ending doubleheader Saturday at Hennon Stadium.

The Paladins lost game one, 7-5, but used the game two victory to claim the three game series and nail down a third place Southern Conference regular season finish. Furman (32-21, 16-11), the defending SoCon Tournament champion, will carry the No. 3 seed into next week's league tournament in Charleston and will face No. 6 seed Western Carolina (31-25, 14-13 SoCon) in a Wednesday first round game at 10:00 a.m.

In claiming its fifth victory in the last six meetings with Western Carolina, Furman tied the school season record for victories with 32 and recorded the program's highest conference regular season finish since 2001. The Paladins were a consensus SoCon No. 7 preseason pick by league head coaches and sports information directors.

Stembridge's bases loaded two-run single in the eighth inning of game two broke a 6-6 tie and highlighted a four-run rally that gave Furman a 10-6 lead. Paladin reliever Nick Hollstegge came with two baserunners on and one out in the bottom of the inning and retired the first two Catamounts he faced to end the threat. He worked a perfect ninth to notch his second save of the series and 11th of the campaign.

Jay Jackson (3-0) earned the victory after allowing three runs on eight hits in four innings of relief of Paladin starting pitcher Ryan Hodinka, who did not return after the game was delayed 51 minutes due to lightning.

Ben Terry added three hits for the Paladins, and Joey Rodgers, making a rare start at third base, went 2-for-2 with a two-out, two-run triple in the sixth inning. Furman pounded Catamont pitching for 17 hits in the contest.

Greg Holland (4-3) took the loss for Western Carolina after yielding five runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings of work.