GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Red Foxes fell to Western Carolina in the first game of the North Carolina A&T Tournament by a score of 5-4. A four run fifth inning by Marist went for naught as Western Carolina came back to secure the win in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Danielle Koltz (Chenango Bridge, N.Y.) led the Red Fox offense with two hits and an RBI.

After two scoreless frames by Marist, Western Carolina got on the board first in the bottom of the second via a Shemakia Scotton home run. Two innings later, a second home run gave the Catamounts a 2-0 lead.

Following three consecutive innings with a hit, Marist finally broke through offensively in the fifth inning. Ironically, this four run frame came by means of just one hit.

After three Red Foxes reached by drawing walks, sophomore Alyssa Zahka (Lexington, Mass.) drove in the first run via a hit by pitch. Senior Nicole DiVirgilio (Aston, Pa.) hit into a fielder's choice and reached safely for the next Red Fox RBI. Koltz was the next batter to keep the offensive marry-go-round going as she singled to left field to score pinch runner Nicole Van Loan (Kingston, N.Y.). Zahka scored Marist's fourth run on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Aly Klemmer (Hamilton, N.J.).

Up 4-2, the Red Foxes and starting pitcher Emily Osterhaus (Suwanee, Georgia) set the Catamounts down in order in the fifth inning.

Unfortunately for Marist, another solo Western Carolina home run and two untimely errors flipped the score back in the Catamounts' favor at 5-4. A 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning would make that score hold as final.

The Red Foxes (1-3) will be back in action on Saturday with two more tournament games, a morning matchup versus Utah Valley University and an afternoon contest versus Youngstown State.