BIG RALLY WRAPS UP SERIES

9TH INNING OUTBURST LIFTS CU TO VICTORY IN WEEKEND FINALE

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Concord's Baseball team has been seeking a breakthrough in the new 2011 season. Sunday, they made it happen.

The Mountain Lions erupted for six runs in the top of the 9th to defeat King College, 7-4, in a the finale of a three-game non-conference series Sunday afternoon in Bristol, TN.

Keith Morrisroe and freshman Bret Blevins delivered two-run doubles in the decisive rally, as Concord recovered from a 4-0 deficit after seven innings.

Blevins went 3-5 with a double, a run scored and three RBIs.

Concord starting pitcher Jacob Mays put in a solid performance – allowing four runs on six hits in 7.1 innings – but King jumped on two mistakes. C.J. Stabler hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 4th, and Heath Williams capped a three-run rally in the 7th with a two-run shot.

The Mountain Lions got on the board in the top of the 8th, when Blevins' RBI single drove in Josh Wenger.

Brandon Proctor relieved Mays with one out in the bottom of the 8th and got the last two outs.

Then came the top of the 9th.

King replaced starter Zach Winkle, who held CU to one run on eight hits in eight innings, with Brandon Houser.

Freshman Raphael Sanchez led off with a single. Matt Clark drew a walk. Houser then hit Mays with a pitch to load the bases.

Nick Melcher replaced Houser.

Morrisroe greeted the newcomer with a double to right, scoring Sanchez and Clark to get Concord within 4-3.

Melcher walked Josh Wenger to re-load the bases, then gave way to Dustin Pannell, the Tornado's third pitcher of the inning.

Kyle Webb hit a grounder that King SS Shawn Timberlake misplayed; Mays scored to tie the game at 4-4, and the bases stayed loaded.

Blevins (right) followed with a double down the left field line that scored Morrisroe and Wenger to put CU ahead 6-4, although Wenger was thrown out at the plate. But Blevins made it to third, and Randy Beard brought him home with a sacrifice fly.

Proctor got the first two outs in the bottom of the 9th, but after he walked pinch hitter Tyler Gaby to load the bases, CU head coach Andrew Wright moved Wenger to the mound. Wenger struck out King's #3 hitter, Bryant Walker, to end the threat and the game.

Blevins would finish the weekend series at 6-11, with five RBIs and three runs scored.


SUNDAY BOXSCORE / PLAY-BY-PLAY

The series began with a doubleheader on Saturday, with King winning both games 4-3.

Concord took the first lead of the first game, on Blevins' two-run home run in the top of the 2nd.
King answered with back-to-back RBI singles from Josh Huffman and Doug Freeman to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. The Tornado took a 3-2 lead in the 4th on Cook's RBI single.

Concord tied the game in the top of the 5th. Sydnor reached on an error by King 1B Steven Mueller and Cloxton walked; after Sanchez sacrificed to advance both runners, Beard singled to drive in Sydnor.

The Tornado took back the lead in the bottom of the 5th. Williams led off with a triple, and scored on Cody Snyder's bunt.

Concord loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the 6th, but could not score.

Webb and Blevins each had two hits to pace the CU offense. Starting pitcher Justin Willa threw a six-inning complete game, allowing four runs on eight eights with one walk and three strikeouts.


SATURDAY GAME ONE BOXSCORE / PLAY-BY-PLAY



In Saturday's nightcap,

King reached Concord starter Devin Smith for two runs each in the 1st and 2nd innings. But the junior right-hander would settle down after that and keep the Tornado off the board.

King nearly added another run in the bottom of the 4th, but Morrisroe threw out Cook at the plate to end the threat.

The Mountain Lions still trailed 4-0 going into the top of the 7th. King took out starter Dylan Sullins, who had scattered three hits in six innings, and replaced him with Nick Melcher.

Bret Belvins greeted Melcher with a leadoff single. Melcher walked Sydnor and pinch-hitter Matt Clark to load the bases, then hit Cloxton with a pitch to score Blevins.

One out later, Mays singled to drive in Sydnor and Clark and pull CU within 4-3. But Melcher recovered to induce Morrisroe and Wenger to fly out to end the game.

Smith threw a six inning complete game, scattering ten hits, walking four and striking out four.


SATURDAY GAME TWO BOXSCORE / PLAY-BY-PLAY


Up next is the first home series of the season for Concord, which will host Urbana University (OH) for three games next weekend.
The Mountain Lions and Blue Knights will play a seven-inning doubleheader on Saturday, February 26, at 1:00 pm.
The teams return to Anderson Field for a single nine-inning game at noon on Sunday, February 27.

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