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CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Trailing 17-9 heading into the seventh, the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team outscored Western Carolina 11-3 over the next three innings to force extra innings before falling to the Catamounts, 24-23, in the bottom of the 11th Wednesday night at Hennon Stadium.

All told, the two teams combined for 47 runs, 47 hits and 12 errors in a game that took five hours and six minutes to complete. 

Down 19-15 going into the eighth inning, the Colonels (18-10, 6-3 OVC) scored five runs to take the lead for the first time since the second inning. Senior Tyler Rehmel tied it with a two-run double to right that scored senior Matt Davis and freshman Michael Garcia. Junior Anthony Ottrando then gave EKU the lead, 20-19, with a single to center that plated Rehmel.

In the home half of the inning, sophomore Jayson Langfels made his Colonel pitching debut and surrendered an RBI single to Mitchell Hatley that tied it and sent the game into extra innings.

Ottrando delivered again the top of the 10th, this time lacing a two-run single up the middle and then scoring on an error to give EKU a seemingly safe 23-20 lead; however, the Catamounts (19-10, 8-3 SoCon) pieced together three runs in their half of the inning before Nick Liles ripped a walk-off single through the left side in the 11th to give WCU the hard-fought victory in this marathon epic.

Freshman Matt Harris (1-2) was saddled with the loss for EKU, pitching the final 2.2 innings for the Colonels and allowing four runs (only one of them earned) on six hits.

Sophomore Macon Smith started on the hill for EKU but lasted only two innings while surrendering five runs on eight hits.

Daniel Ottone (3-1) earned the win for WCU, working the final 3.2 innings while giving up four runs on three hits.

The Colonels were paced offensively by Ottrando who finished the day 3-for-7 with three RBI and two runs scored. Davis also batted 3-for-7 two runs scored and two runs driven in. Junior Joey Stevens, meanwhile, went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI while Garcia and freshman Richie Rodriguez scored four runs each.

WCU was led by Hatley, who batted a perfect 7-for-7 on the day with seven RBI and a trio of runs scored. Liles finished the day 4-for-8 with five runs scored and a walk-off RBI.

Freshman Alan Abreu’s two-run single highlighted a four-run second that gave EKU an early lead. After WCU tied it with four of their own in the bottom of the inning, an RBI single by Stevens in the third put the Colonels up again, 5-4.

The Catamounts then exploded for 13 runs over the next three innings to take a commanding 17-9 lead before the Colonels began their comeback in the seventh inning. Freshman Jacob Daniel started the inning with a single and went to second when Rodriguez reached on an error. Garcia then walked to load the bases and freshman Dustin Dunlop reached on another Catamount error, this one resulting in a run scored. With the bases still loaded, Davis singled in another run and senior Aaron Barrows walked in a run. Rehmel then plated Dunlop with a sacrifice fly and, after Barrows stole second, Ottrando reached on error in left field – WCU’s third error of the inning – to score Davis and Barrows and make it 17-15.

The Catamounts plated two in their half of the seventh before the EKU took the lead in the eighth.

EKU returns to action on Friday, April 10, when they travel to Tennessee Tech for a three game conference series. First pitch for Friday’s doubleheader is set for 2:00 p.m.