BASEBALL: LIONS BEAT CATS

CU SWEEPS PITT-JOHNSTOWN TO KEEP POST-SEASON HOPES ALIVE

With the regular season down to its last ten games, the Concord baseball team went into Wednesday afternoon's doubleheader against Pitt-Johnstown in 5th place in the WVIAC South– and only the top four teams from each division qualify for next month's conference tournament.

CU improved its chances of reaching the league playoffs for the 14th consecutive season by sweeping the Mountain Cats, 4-0 and 4-3, on a cool, drizzly day at its “other home field” -- Linda K. Epling Stadium in Beckley, WV.

Ryan Weatherholtz vs UPJ
Concord's #1 starting pitcher, Ryan Weatherholtz, went the distance in the first game.  In the nightcap, Dustin Nuckels – making just his second start of the season – got within one out of doing the same.

GAME ONE
BOXSCORE / PLAY-BY-PLAY

Weatherholtz (left) yielded two hits in the 1st inning and two hits in the 7th.  In between, he allowed two singles and retired 15 of the 17 batters he faced. 

Working on three days' rest, the sophomore righthander didn't walk a batter and struck out seven in securing his third shutout of the season.

UPJ starter Rylan Schnably was nearly as effective, giving up eight hits in a complete-game effort.  But Concord reached him for two runs each in the 1st and 3rd innings.

The opening-inning rally started when Jerrod Groves drew a walk and stole second, and came in to score on Bret Blevins' two-out double.  Ryan Johnston's single moved Blevins to third, and the two pulled off a double steal that gave CU a 2-0 lead.

The 3rd inning rally began with back-to-back doubles from Groves and Keith Morrisroe that made the score 3-0.  Morrisroe would steal third, and Johnston drove him in with a sacrifice fly to left field.

UPJ got the potential tying run on deck with two outs in the top of the 7th, but Weatherholtz struck out Jeff Campbell to end the game.

T.J Brockway went 3-3 with a double to lead the CU lineup.  Kyle Morrow had two hits for the Mountain Cats.

Dustin Nuckels vs UPJ
GAME TWO
BOXSCORE / PLAY-BY-PLAY

Concord carried over its first-game momentum by jumping on UPJ starter Paul Tunink for all four of its runs in the bottom of the 1st.

Randy Beard led off with a single and Groves reached on an error by 3B Joe Galbraith.  An infield single from Morrisroe loaded the bases.
Blevins singled up the middle to drive in Beard and Groves, with Morrisroe moving the second.  A wild pitch advanced both runners, setting up back-to-back sacrifice flies from Johnston and Josh Wenger.

Nuckels (right) worked himself out of a series of jams in keeping the Mountain Cats off the scoreboard over the first four innings, stranding five runners in scoring position in the process.  The biggest threat came in the 4th -- UPJ loaded the bases with two outs, but Nuckels induced Zach Vignero to hit into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

The Mountain Cats broke up Nuckels' shutout bid on Drew Westover's two-out solo home run in the top of the 5th.

Concord had a chance to blow open the game in the 6th -- loading the bases with nobody out – but Tunink got out of trouble to keep the score at 4-1.  That nearly paid off for the Mountain Cats.

Sliding Into 2nd
Nuckels retired the first two batters in the top of the 7th but ran out of gas.  Westover singled and Mike Palkovitz tripled to the wall in left center, making the score 4-2.  Drew Ebersole singled to drive in Palkovitz, ending Nuckels' day.  But Will Zuspan came in from the bullpen and got Nathan Pope to fly out to end the game and secure his 4th save of the year.

Nuckels gave up eight hits and three walks while striking out seven.  Tunink surrendered eight hits and walked two if taking the complete-game loss.

Beard and Blevins had two hits each for Concord.  Palkovitz had three hits for UPJ.


Up next for Concord (17-25, 13-14) is a return to Anderson Field in Athens for an important WVIAC South Division series against Davis & Elkins this weekend.  Both teams are in the running for a tournament spot, and their three-game set begins with a seven-inning doubleheader at 1:00 pm on Saturday, April 21. 

The series concludes with a single nine-inning game at 1:00 pm on Sunday, April 22.  Admission is free to all Concord home games.



(statistics provided by CU SID GA Becky Brouse)



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