Concord's Baseball team has literally waited weeks to play its first game. The players began their pre-season work in January, aiming to begin the campaign on February 20th.
But the lingering winter forced the Mountain Lions' first ten games to be either cancelled or postponed, and kept the
team penned up inside, doing drills and longing to play outdoors.
The chance to play at last finally came today.
Concord opened its 2010 season with a 6-4 non-conference loss at Armstrong Atlantic State (GA), the host team of the Savannah Invitational in Savannah, GA.
The Mountain Lions looked crisp early, taking a 3-0 led in the top of the 2nd inning on RBI singles from Keith Morrisroe and All-American Donovan Huffer, followed by run-scoring fielder's choice from Julio Stehlin.
The Pirates (13-3) scored in the bottom of the inning, but CU answered with another RBI single by Huffer to go ahead 4-1 in the top of the 4th. AASU pushed across a single run in the bottom of the inning to get within 4-2.
Concord threatened to take command in the top of the 6th, loading the bases with one out. The Pirates replaced starting pitcher Thomas Gray with Jonathan Fulghum, who struck out Huffer and induced Greyson Schram into an inning-ending fielder's choice.
Trey Smith gave the Mountain Lions a strong showing as the opening day starting pitcher, scattering five hits and allowing two runs (one earned) while walking five and striking out four in six innings.
Smith gave way to Chastin Akers in the bottom of the 7th, and Akers immediately encountered trouble.
Akers hit the first batter he faced, and after a Pirates sacrifice, then saw AASU's number-nine hitter reach on a dropped fly ball by RF Devin Smith. Akers walked the next Pirate to load the bases and was replaced by Drew Bailey.
Bailey struck out the Pirates number-two hitter, Josh Wilson, but walked Alex Wyche to force in a run and bring the hosts within 4-3. Cleanup hitter Chris Zittrouer then launched a double to right, clearing the bases and putting AASU ahead 6-4.
Meanwhile, Concord couldn't solve Fulghum, who got the win by holding Concord hitless for 3.2 innings. He allowed only two baserunners – Stehlin reached on a two-out error by 3B Drew Walker in the 8th, and Schram drew a one-out walk in the 9th, but Fulghum got Brooks Cullen to ground into a double play to end the game.
Tyler Webb went 3-4 with a double and two runs scored for Concord. Huffer was 2-5 with two RBIs.
After going so long without a game, Concord now plays again in less than 24 hours. The Mountain Lions return to Pirate Field in Savannah to take on California (PA) in a 10:00 am start on Monday, March 8th. The Vulcans are 4-3 following a three-game sweep of West Liberty.
