Western Carolina Softball Completes Sweep of Furman

Catamounts hit five home runs in 12-2 run-rule victory over Paladins

Mar. 23, 2026 at 2:05am

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Western Carolina softball connected on five home runs, including two from junior third baseman Maya McPherson, to earn a 12-2 run-rule victory over Furman and complete a three-game Southern Conference sweep of the visiting Paladins. The Catamounts opened SoCon play with three straight wins for the first time since their debut season in 2006.

Why it matters

This series sweep over Furman marks a strong start to Western Carolina's Southern Conference schedule, as the Catamounts look to build on their 19-9 overall record and compete for a conference title. The team's power hitting, led by McPherson's 10 home runs, has been a key factor in their success so far this season.

The details

In Sunday's finale, McPherson led WCU with a three-hit performance, including two homers and four RBIs. Junior Lily Bell, Sydney Dirks, Becka Wonsick, and Rylee Butler also homered for the Catamounts. As a team, WCU finished with a .403 batting average, 17 extra-base hits, and 30 runs scored in the three-game series.

  • Western Carolina opened SoCon play with three straight wins for the first time since their debut season in 2006.

The players

Maya McPherson

A junior third baseman for Western Carolina who clubbed two home runs in the series finale, giving her 10 homers on the season.

Lily Bell

A junior who added a pair of hits for Western Carolina, extending her reached base streak to a team-best 15 games.

Amanda Fulton

The Western Carolina pitcher who earned the complete game victory, scattering seven hits and allowing two runs with five strikeouts.

Gwen Hill

The Furman pitcher who made her collegiate debut, going 2.0 innings and allowing three hits with five runs and four strikeouts.

Jamison Noonan

The Furman pitcher who faced the final three batters of the contest, giving up three hits and three runs.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

Western Carolina will look to continue their strong start to conference play when they host USC Upstate in a midweek doubleheader on Tuesday, March 24.

The takeaway

Western Carolina's powerful offensive performance, led by Maya McPherson's two-homer game, propelled the Catamounts to a sweep of Furman and a 3-0 start in Southern Conference play. The team's ability to hit for power has been a key factor in their 19-9 overall record so far this season.