Statesboro, Ga. --- The Georgia Southern baseball team (1-0, 0-0 SBC) defeated the Western Carolina Catamounts (0-1, 0-0 SoCon) 10-2 on Opening Day this past Friday night (February 14th) at J.I. Clements Stadium in what was the second-highest attended home opener in program history with 2,862 fans, just behind last year's opener against Maryland.

Out of the gate, it was Western Carolina who struck the scoreboard first, scoring two runs in the opening frame off of a Cole Jones ground out to score the Catamounts leadoff man Mason Holton. Later that inning, Brayden Corn drove in WCU's final run of the game with a single through the middle infield.

The Eagles would respond right back in the next half-inning as back-to-back hits by Nico Senese and Sean Smith set up Sean White to drive one in off a fielder's choice. In the Eagles second inning at the plate, Cade Parker delivered a one-out double that would put two runners in scoring position before Luke Odden sent one home with a groundout. A mini two-out rally ensued as Josh Tate amped up the major crowd with an RBI double to right center and then later scored from Senese's scorching single to right field.

The next two innings were pitching showcases as Eagle starter Kade Grundy settled in and responded incredibly after giving up two runs in the opening frame. In four innings of work, the Louisville transfer recorded six strikeouts, half of which all came the following inning. 

After a Nico Senese walk in the bottom of the fifth, Smith launched a 396 foot home run down the left-field line that just hooked fair to give the Eagles a 6-2 lead. Two innings later, JD Kaiser doubled to score two more Southern batters and pump up the lead. Two straight hit batters from the arms of the Catamounts gave Southern two more runs to secure their most in the opening game of the season since 2007.

Jax Lewis came in relief at the top of the fifth and did not give up a run in his three innings of work. The TCU transfer's first collegiate appearance saw him give up four hits and three punchouts to boot, including a crucial K looking with two Catamounts in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh. Davis Smith also came in for the final two innings, adding three more strikeouts to give Southern an even dozen on the night, their most in a non-conference game since the shoutout win over #22 South Carolina on April 3rd last season. 

Georgia Southern looks to continue the momentum tomorrow against the Catamounts on Constuction Day at J.I Clements Stadium with first pitch set for 2 p.m.