One of the toughest things for a baseball team to do is to finish off a series sweep. Even a team that's on a roll.
One day after a dominating doubleheader sweep of Charleston at Anderson Field (http://www.cumountainlions.com/news/2010/4/18/BSB_0418101252.aspx?path=baseball), the Concord Baseball team looked to be on the way to another impressive two-victory day. The Mountain Lions won the first game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Golden Eagles, 18-1, and had a big lead in the second game before having to fend off a late rally to secure the nightcap, 11-9.
Concord finished a perfect 7-0 week and raised its record to 22-5, 11-4 against the WVIAC Southern Division. CU, ranked #6 in the Atlantic Region, improved to 13-0 at home.
The Mountain Lions' Greyson Schram (left) continued to swing a scalding-hot bat, going 6-8 on the day with two doubles, four runs and seven RBIs. For the weekend, the senior went 12-14, with four home runs, three doubles, ten runs and 17 RBIs. In the process, Schram raised his batting average 75 points to a team-high .523.
He also leads the Mountain Lions in home runs (13), RBIs (52), slugging (1.070) and on-base percentage (.603).
Concord got other big days from Donovan Huffer (4-8, six RBIs, five runs, home run, two doubles) and Keith Morrisroe (4-6, five runs, two RBIs, two doubles).
On the mound, Trey Smith just missed a no-hitter in the first game, allowing only two hits and two walks while striking out nine.
In the second game, starter Chastin Akers worked into the 7th inning before tiring and giving way to David Allen with Concord leading 11-6. But Allen was wobbly, and Kyle Webb came in to get the last out and the save.
| GAME ONE |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
R |
H |
E |
LOB |
| Charleston |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
| Concord |
2 |
7 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
x |
|
18 |
19 |
1 |
7 |
Schram doubled to left in the 1st to score CU's two runs. In the 2nd, many other Mountain Lions got in the act. Concord loaded the bases with nobody out against Charleston starter Matt Thompson, then went to work scoring runs. Randy Beard and Morrisroe hit RBI singles, and, with the bases still loaded, Huffer clouted a three-run double left center. Schram singled, and an error on LF Mike Dahl allowed Huffer to score and Schram to advance to second. Kyle Webb finished the scoring with an RBI single to right.
Concord kept up the punishment in the 3rd. Huffer drove in another trio of runs off Thompson, this time with a three-run home run to right center. Ian Humphrey added a two-run double and Tyler Webb an RBI two-base hit for the Mountain Lions.
Schram gave CU a sacrifice fly in the 4th, then continued his hot day in the 6th. After Morrisroe singled and Huffer doubled with two outs, Schram hit a ground ball that hit the edge of the infield grass and bounced over the head of SS Connor Shehan into left field for an RBI single. Kyle Webb added an RBI single of his own later in the inning.
Meanwhile, Trey Smith (right) got within one out of a no-hitter. In the UC 7th, he retired the first two batters, but walked James Clarke. Sage Iacovone broke up the no-hit bid – and the shutout – by driving in Clarke with a double to right center. John Schraer followed with an infield single, but Smith closed out his gem by getting Ryan Hathaway to ground out. Smith raised his record to 5-1 and lowered his ERA to 3.80.
Schram finished 4-4 with a double, two runs and four RBIs. Huffer was 3-5 with a home run, two doubles, three runs and six RBIs. Morrisroe went 3-3 with a double, and RBI and four runs. Kyle Webb was 2-4 with a run and two RBIs. Humphrey finished 2-5 with a double, two runs and two RBIs.
| GAME TWO |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
R |
H |
E |
LOB |
| Charleston |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
|
9 |
14 |
4 |
11 |
| Concord |
3 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
x |
|
11 |
10 |
4 |
7 |
The second game started out looking like another Concord rout.
Randy Beard led off the 1st with a home run. Later in the inning, Schram added an RBI single and a run-scoring groundout by Kyle Webb.
The Mountain Lions struck for six runs in the 2nd, all with two outs. After Beard reached on an error, Morrisroe doubled to left to drive him home. Huffer was hit by a pitch and Schram doubled to drive in two more runs. Brooks Cullen singled to score Schram. Kyle Webb reached on an error to bring in another run, and, later, Tyler Webb's RBI double ended the scoring.
Concord scored again in the 4th to push the lead to 10-1, but Charleston started to push back with three runs in the 5th and another in the 6th.
Cullen hit a solo homer in the bottom of the 6th to put CU ahead 11-5, but the contest was far from over.
In the top of the 7th, Iacovone singled to end Aker's day, and Allen came on in relief. The freshman from Beckley got two straight fielder's choices, but then allowed five straight hits as the Golden Eagles pulled within 11-9.
CU coach Kevin Garrett made a pitching change, bringing in Kyle Webb, and the junior from Arnett struck out Clarke looking to preserve the victory.
(Webb's strikeout pitch is pictured above).
Schram finished 2-4 with a double, two runs and three RBIs. Cullen was 3-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs.
Akers scattered nine hits and gave up only three earned runs over six innings to get the win. Webb's save was his first of the season.
Concord steps out of the Southern Division to visit WVIAC foes Fairmont State and West Virginia Wesleyan for doubleheaders this week. The Mountain Lions take on the Falcons on Tuesday, April 20th, and go against the Bobcats on Thursday, April 22nd. Both doubleheaders will start at 1:00 pm EDT.
