One truism about sports is that you never know what you're going to get.
Concord's Baseball team went into its WVIAC doubleheader at Fairmont State at 22-5, on a seven-game winning streak and ranked #4 in the Atlantic Region.
By contrast, the Fighting Falcons had the league's worst record at 3-34, including being swept in a doubleheader at Concord just last week.
You never know what you're going to get.
The Fighting Falcons stunned CU by taking Tuesday's first game 6-5, and Concord needed a big 7th-inning rally to secure a 16-6 victory in the nightcap at Mary Lou Retton Park in Fairmont, WV.
| GAME ONE |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
R |
H |
E |
LOB |
| Concord |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
5 |
10 |
0 |
9 |
| Fairmont State |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
x |
|
6 |
9 |
0 |
5 |
The Mountain Lions missed a chance to score immediately. Randy Beard led off the top of the 1st with a single, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Keith Morrisroe then singled, and Donovan Huffer walked. But FSU starter Joe Elmerick settled down to get the next two outs to end the inning.
The Fighting Falcons reached Concord starter Brandon Proctor for a run in the bottom of the 1st, but the Mountain Lions answered with a four-run outburst in the top of the 3rd.
Beard and Morrisroe opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and each runner advanced on Huffer's sacrifice bunt. One batter later, Brooks Cullen launched his 10th home run of the season to put CU in the lead.
Kyle Webb re-ignited the inning with a double down the line in right, and Ian Humphrey brought him in with an RBI single to left to stretch the lead to 4-1.
Proctor stumbled in the 4th, allowing four consecutive singles to start the inning that pulled FSU within 4-2. The freshman left hander then surrendered a grand-slam home run to Jonathan Fansler that put the Fighting Falcons ahead 6-4. David Allen came in and ended the inning, but FSU had the lead for good.
Concord pulled within 6-5 in the 5th on a double by WVIAC Co-Player of the Week Greyson Schram and an RBI single from Humphrey.
The Mountain Lions misfired in the 6th. With one out, Beard was hit by a pitch, but was caught stealing just before Morrisroe doubled to left.
In the 7th, Concord drew two walks off FSU closer Preston Musgrave, but couldn't push across the tying run.
Morrisroe (right) paced Concord's 10-hit attack by going 3-4 with a double and run. Beard finished 2-3 with a run. Humphrey was 2-2 with two RBIs, and threw an inning and two-thirds of scoreless relief pitching.
| GAME TWO |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
R |
H |
E |
LOB |
| Concord |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
|
16 |
12 |
3 |
10 |
| Fairmont State |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
|
6 |
8 |
0 |
6 |
Concord appeared to return to form early, opening up a 4-0 lead after two innings.
In the top of the 1st, Morrisroe reached on after a fielder's choice and Huffer singled ahead of Schram, who crushed his WVIAC-leading 14th home of the season for a 3-0 lead.
In the 2nd, Blake Klaiber singled, Beard walked and Morrisroe reached on an infield single to load the bases. Huffer drew a one-out walk to make the score 4-0, but Schram struck out and Brooks Cullen grounded out as Concord left the bases still loaded.
The 4-0 lead held until the bottom of the 5th. FSU put together two singles and a walk to load the bases with two outs, and Brandon Skoff reached Concord starter Kyle Webb for the host team's second grand slam of the day, tying the game at 4-4.
The Mountain Lions answered promptly the 6th. With one out, and Tyler Webb at third and Beard at second, Huffer lobbed a sacrifice fly to give CU the lead. Then came Schram, who launched his second homer of the game for a 7-4 Concord lead.
Fairmont State benefited from two Concord errors in the 6th to score twice and knock the Mountain Lions' lead to an uneasy 7-6. But CU removed any of that unease with a game-breaking rally in the top of the 7th.
The Mountain Lions loaded the bases after Kyle Webb singled, Ian Humphrey walked and FSU reliever Aaron Whitford hit Tyler Webb with a pitch. Whitford then hit Beard with a pitch, scoring Kyle Webb. Jimmy Earp replaced Whitford, but Concord was just getting started.
Whitford walked Morrisroe and Huffer to bring in two more runs, then faced the unenviable task of facing Schram. The Concord second baseman promptly clouted a bases-clearing double to extend the Lions' lead to 13-6.
Cullen followed with a walk, as did Kyle Webb. One out later, Klaiber cranked a two-run double to center to push CU's advantage to 15-6.
Tyler Webb added a double of his own, driving in his brother and closing out the scoring.
Schram (left) burnished his POTW credentials by going 3-5 with two home runs, a double, three runs and eight RBIs. The senior infielder now has 60 runs batted in for the season.
Huffer drove in three runs and Klaiber two for CU.
The Mountain Lions (23-6) visit West Virginia Wesleyan for a WVIAC doubleheader on Thursday, April 22nd. The Bobcats (21-10) upset WVIAC power West Virginia State, 18-16, on Tuesday in Institute, WV.
First pitch of Thursday's twinbill is set for 1:00 pm EDT.
