CONCORD SPLITS WITH OHIO VALLEY

STARTING PITCHING, DEFENSE PUT MOUNTAIN LIONS ON VERGE OF SWEEP

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In baseball, if a team's offense isn't going well, it can still rely on pitching and defense.

Concord, despite mustering only three hits on the day, played error-free in the field and got two strong starting pitching performances to secure a split of its WVIAC South Division seven-inning doubleheader at Ohio Valley Friday afternoon. The Mountain Lions won the first game 3-0, but dropped the second, 4-3, at City Park in Parkersburg, WV.

 


In the first game, CU starting pitcher Trey Smith got himself in and out of trouble on the way to a complete-game victory.

In the bottom of the 1st, Smith allowed a one-out double to Chaz Mohler, and Ryan Barber followed with a single. But Concord LF Julio Stehlin fired the ball to SS Donovan Huffer, whose relay throw cut down Mohler. Smith hit the next batter, but got Tyler Welch to line out to Huffer to end the inning. 

In the bottom of the 3rd, OVU loaded the bases with two outs, but Smith got Justin Wharton to ground out to 2B James Stehlin. 

In the bottom of the 6th, Smith allowed back-to-back two-out singles, then induced Brent Humphrey to ground out to 3B Greyson Schram to dodge another bullet.

Concord's offense provided a single run in the top of the 2nd, when Brooks Cullen, Kyle Webb and Tyler Webb began the inning with consecutive walks and James Stehlin drove in Cullen with a groundout.
A two-run homer by Schram in the 3rd extended Concord's lead to 3-0, and, as it turned out, ended the scoring.

Smith scattered six hits – five of them singles – while walking three and striking out five. 

In the second game, Cullen put the Mountain Lions in a position to sweep.
At the plate, his two-run home run in the top of the 6th – Concord's only hit of the game – put CU ahead 3-2.
As the starting pitcher, the senior left-hander allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits, while walking two and striking out five, in six innings.

But OVU reached reliever Drew Bailey for two runs in the bottom of the 7th to stun the Mountain Lions and salvage the split.
Bailey walked Joshua Saavedra and Mohler, and Barber singled with one out to bring in the tying run. Welch reached on an infield single to load the bases; Bailey got the second out by striking out Joseph Hallinan, only to give up the game-winning RBI single to Wharton.

Concord scratched out just one hit against OVU starter Shayne Miller, who got the complete-game victory despite walking six.
The Mountain Lions pushed across a run without a hit in the top of the 3rd. Keith Morrisroe walked with one out, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Schram's sacrifice fly.
CU got its other two runs – and its only hit – in the 6th. Huffer walked, and scored on Cullen's two-run shot. 

Concord (4-2, 1-1 WVIAC South) will play another doubleheader with Ohio Valley (4-4, 1-1) Saturday afternoon at City Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm EDT.

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