CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Western Carolina scored four-plus run in an inning three times to blow open a game that got off to a high-scoring start, defeating Purdue baseball, 17-6, in the season opener for both teams Friday afternoon.
The Boilermakers held early leads of 1-0 and 3-2 but couldn't keep up after WCU blew it out with a six-run fifth inning. Purdue surrendered a double-figure run total in a season opener for the first time since 2010.
Michael Vilardo had two hits and three RBI in his team debut, but also made two errors defensively at second base. Kyle Johnson singled in each of his first two at-bats, driving in the first run of the season in the top of the first.
Nine of WCU's 19 hits came from two players. Freshman Brett Pope went 5-for-5 with four runs scored in his collegiate debut while batting sixth in the lineup. No. 8 hitter J.D. Long was 4-for-5 with three runs scored.
The Catamounts, the two-time defending champion and 2015 preseason favorite of the Southern Conference, took the lead for good with a four-run, two-out rally in the bottom the second. Matt Smith connected for a two-run homer to right center after Bradley Strong's single up the middle plated a pair.
Brian Ghiselli and Kyle Van Hoeck both were effective early in their relief outings. Ghiselli stranded runners on second and third base in the bottom of the third, and retired WCU's 9-1-2 hitters in order the following frame. But a leadoff home run by Danny Bermudez led to the six-run rally in the fifth. Van Hoeck worked a 1-2-3 sixth inning against the 3-4-5 portion of the Catamounts' lineup, but surrendered four consecutive singles in the bottom the seventh. All four runners came around to score.
Purdue pitchers did not issue a walk for the third time in the last 12 games dating back to April 2014. Gavin Downs has started each of those three games.
With runners on first and second in the bottom of the first, Downs induced a pair of ground balls to shortstop. Freshman Harry Shipley had to deal with a bad hop on both grounders and Purdue was unable to turn two on either double play opportunity. Cleanup hitter Jacob Hoyle's chopper went for an infield single that loaded the bases. Shipley got the ball to Vilardo at second on Austin Atwell's subsequent grounder, but the Penn transfer threw the ball wide of first to allow another run to score.
Western Carolina had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the second when Downs induced a chopper to third base that led to the second out of the inning. But WCU's senior leadoff hitter proved a tough out when he came through with the two-out, two-run single moments later. After doubling off the center field wall his first time up, Smith followed with the long ball to right center.
Purdue capitalized on three errors by the Catamounts, scoring four unearned runs against starter Bryan Sammons over 5 1/3 innings. Vilardo delivered a two-out, two-run double in the second inning to give the Boilers a 3-2 lead after an error extended the frame.
Purdue had the leadoff man aboard in each of the first four innings against Sammons, but plated that runner just once.
Jeff Evak doubled with outs in the fourth inning and scored on Shipley's first collegiate hit, an RBI single up the middle. Fellow freshman Evan Kennedy delivered a sacrifice fly line drive to right field as a pinch hitter in the top of the sixth. Junior Brett Carlson walked twice and singled as the starting designated hitter in his team debut and transfer Justin Gubser singled in his first at-bat as a Boilermaker.
The season-opening series will conclude with Saturday's doubleheader, which is set for an 11:15 a.m. first pitch.
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