THE DOZENS

CU SCORES 12 TWICE IN SWEEP OF SALEM INTERNATIONAL

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Concord's Baseball team scored 12 runs in each game of its non-conference seven-inning doubleheader against Salem International Saturday afternoon in Athens.

In the first game, CU needed every last run it could get, rallying in the bottom of the 7th to win 12-11.

In the second game, CU cruised to a 12-2 victory over the Tigers.

The Mountain Lions outhit SIU 30-13 combined on a cold, damp, gray day at Anderson Field.



GAME ONE
BOXSCORE / PLAY-BY-PLAY

CU opened up a 9-1 lead after two innings, rallying for five runs in the 1st and four more in the 2nd.

The Mountain Lions got five hits in the 1st, including RBI singles from four different players. The fifth run scored on a double steal. Two Salem International errors fueled the rally.

Josh Wenger's two-out, two-run single triggered CU's outburst in the bottom of the 2nd. Bret Blevins launched an RBI triple and Raphael Sanchez added a run-scoring single. SIU again committed two errors.

The Tigers scratched out single runs in the 3rd and 4th, two in the 5th and three more in the 6th, pulling them within 9-8.

Sanchez stroked an RBI double to left in the bottom of the 6th to make the score 10-8.

SIU came back with three runs on no hits in the top of the 7th off a wobbly Concord bullpen -- which dealt out five walks and two wild pitches -- to take its first lead of the game at 11-10.

Their lead didn't last.

Ian Humphrey (right) led off the bottom of the 7th with a solid single to left, moved to second on a wild pitch, and went to third on Jacob Mays' deep fly to right center. Keith Morrisroe walked and went to second on a wild pitch, which took away the force play at second.

That proved to be important, as Nick Sydnor followed with a grounder to second that wound up not as a double play, but as a run-scoring out, tying the game.

Kyle Webb then rocketed a single to center that scored Morrisroe and won the game.

CU's defense committed five errors and the pitching staff issued a combined nine walks. But the Mountain Lions overcame those mistakes by roughing up SIU for 16 hits, with six players getting at least two hits each, led by Sanchez's 3-3 performance. CU also stole seven bases.



GAME TWO
BOXSCORE / PLAY-BY-PLAY

With a small group of hardcore fans braving the frigid weather, the Mountain Lions removed much of the drama with a game-breaking rally in the bottom of the 3rd.

Already leading 2-0, CU exploded for seven runs in the 3rd. Mays doubled with one out, and scored on Morrisroe's RBI single. Sydnor walked, and Webb reached on an error by SS Michael Hobert, with Morrisroe coming in to score.

After an SIU pitching change, Josh Wenger tripled to right to drive in Sydnor and Webb. Bret Blevins followed with an RBI double to right that extended Concord's lead to 7-0. Blevins went to third on an error by RF Jason Barnes. One out later, Randy Beard walked and stole second. Humphrey – who started the rally – finished it with a two-run single to left. CU led 9-0.

Salem International would get its only two runs in the 4th.

Concord scored a run in the 5th, on Blevins' double and Beard's RBI single.

The Mountain Lions tallied twice more with two outs in the 6th. Webb and Wenger clouted back-to-back triples, and Blevins singled to center.

Blevins went 4-4 for the game, with two RBIs, two runs scored, two triples and a double. Wenger went 3-4 with a triple, four RBIs and two runs scored. Concord outhit SIU 14-6.

CU starting pitcher Zach Atkins got the win, despite surrendering five hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings. Webb allowed only one hit in 2 1/3 innings to get the save.


Up next for Concord (10-11) is the finale of the three-game series against SIU, tomorrow afternoon at Noon at Anderson Field.  Admission is free.


^{(statistics provided by Concord SID GA Brandon Besl)}

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