BASEBALL: JACKETS STING

WVSU'S 9th INNING RALLY DOWNS CU

Devin Smith Pitch #1
West Virginia State rallied for three runs in the top of the 9th inning to defeat the Concord baseball team, 7-5, Sunday afternoon at Anderson Field in Athens.

The outcome clinched the Yellowjackets' sweep of the three-game weekend series and spoiled a gritty effort by Concord starting pitcher Devin Smith (left), who scattered 13 hits over 7 2/3 innings and left the game with the lead.  Centerfielder Randy Beard went 4-4 with a double and an RBI, and Zach Cloxton went 2-5 with a two-run homer.

Eric Temple's RBI single gave WVSU a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st, but Concord countered by jumping on 'Jackets starter Ryan Baldwin in the bottom of the inning.  Baldwin hit leadoff batter Keith Morrisroe with a pitch, and Cloxton followed with his two-run shot to right (below).

Bret Blevins and Ryan Johnston singled, setting the stage for Ian Humphrey's two-out, two-run single that put CU ahead 4-1.  After Randy Beard singled, Caleb Toparis relieved Baldwin, and State's pitching staff settled down.

Zach Cloxton HR
WVSU bunched together four singles in the 3rd – including Jeffrey Bunch's two-run base hit – to close within 4-3.  They tied the score in the 4th, when Billy Smith led off with a solo homer to right.

Concord took a 5-4 lead in the 5th on singles by T.J. Brockway and Smith, and Beard's two-out RBI single to right center.  The Mountain Lions put runners in scoring position with one out in the 7th and 8th but couldn't bring in another run.

In the 9th, Temple led off with a single off CU reliever Will Zuspan, and moved to second on David Myers' sacrifice bunt.  Zuspan hit Bunch with a pitch, and Eric Craft poked a single to right that tied the score and put runners at the corners.
Anthony Payne put down a suicide squeeze that scored Bunch and gave WVSU a 6-5 lead.  Smith reached on an error, and Noah Blackhurst singled to right to bring in Craft and close out the scoring.

The top five hitters in the Yellowjackets lineup combined to go 13-28 with five runs scored and three RBIs.  WVSU used six pitchers, with William Ore getting the win and Garrett Kiser the save.
Up next for Concord (12-20, 8-9) is a WVIAC doubleheader against Alderson-Broaddus on Tuesday, April 3 at Anderson Field.  It will be CU's last home date for 15 days and last appearance in Athens until March 20. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm, and admission is free.


(statistics provided by CU SID GA Becky Brouse)


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