THE BASICS:

• Score: Western Carolina 7, Holy Cross 5
• Records: Western Carolina (4-5); Holy Cross (2-10)
• Pitching Decision: W: B.J. Nobles (2-0) | L: Phil Reese (0-3) | S: Tyler Powell (1)
• Location: Cullowhee, N.C. (Hennon Stadium)
• The Lead: Holy Cross senior outfielder Evan Ocello (Camarillo, Calif.) batted 2-for-4 with a home run and a pair of RBIs, but the Crusaders were defeated by Western Carolina, 7-5, in non-conference baseball action on Friday evening at Hennon Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Western Carolina grabbed the early lead in in the bottom of the first inning, as Brett Pope crossed home to make the score 1-0.
• Holy Cross knotted the game at 1-1 in the top of the third on an RBI-single by senior Jack St. Clair (Newton, Mass.) to score Ocello.
• The Crusaders broke the tie in the top of the fifth inning as Ocello belted a solo homerun to lead off the inning and make the score 2-1. Freshman Cam O'Neill (Lynn, Mass.) also drove in St. Clair later in the frame to give Holy Cross the 3-1 lead.
• The Catamounts, however, answered in the bottom half of the fifth with three scores on three hits to gain the 4-3 advantage.
• Ocello recorded his second hit of the game in the top of sixth inning, this time on an RBI-double to cash in junior Nick Lovullo (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and tie the game at 4-4.
• Western Carolina again responded with three more runs on five hits to grab the 7-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning.
• Holy Cross got one run back in the top of the eighth, as junior Connor Perry (Haverhill, Mass.) scored on a groundout, but the Crusaders would not get any closer as the Catamounts held on for the 7-5 victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Western Carolina reliever B.J. Nobels picked up the win (2-0), as he tossed two innings and allowed one unearned run on two hits. Catamount closer Tyler Powell earned his first save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
• Holy Cross sophomore Phil Reese (Frederick, Va.) was charged with the loss (0-3), as he surrendered three runs (one earned) on four hits in one inning pitched.
• O'Neill (3-for-4), Ocello (2-for-4), St. Clair (2-for-5) and junior Bobby Indeglia (North Kingstown, R.I.) (2-for-4) all had multi-hit games for Holy Cross, who held the 9-8 edge in total hits.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Ocello is now tied for third place on the Holy Cross all-time runs scored list with 113 in his career. He also extends his hitting streak to nine straight games.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross continues its series with Western Carolina on Saturday, March 7 with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.

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