BASEBALL: PRIDE OF THE LIONS

5/13/2012 9:53:00 AM

CU ENDS SEASON WITH EXTRA-INNING WIN OVER FAIRMONT STATE AT WVIAC TOURNAMENT

Don't tell Concord's baseball team its game Saturday night against Fairmont State didn't mean anything.

The Mountain Lions went into their final pool play matchup at the WVIAC Tournament knowing that they could not advance to the conference championship game, regardless of the outcome against the Fighting Falcons.
(Alderson-Broaddus' win over West Virginia Wesleyan earlier in the day eliminated CU from title contention.)

But Concord approached the matchup with a purpose, and the result was a thrilling 4-3, 11 inning victory that ended the 2012 season on a high note and denied FSU a berth in Sunday's conference final.

Concord finished 2-1 in Pool 2 at the tournament, at Point Stadium in Johnstown, PA. But Thursday's loss to A-B ultimately denied Concord a chance to defend its 2011 championship, despite an impressive 12-8 win over Wesleyan on Friday afternoon.

Fairmont State, playing for a spot against Shepherd in the championship game, jumped on CU starting pitcher Tyler Zimm for a run in the bottom of the 1st inning. Leadoff hitter Jimmy Earp drew a walk, and sprinted around to score on Ryan Fondriest's one-out double into the left field corner.

Concord moved ahead with a three-run rally in the 5th. Joel Gattoni led off with a single and moved to second on Ian Humphrey's sacrifice bunt, and Randy Beard singled to put runners at the corners. Jerrod Groves crossed up the FSU defense with a bunt single up the

first base line that scored Gattoni to tie the game at 1-1.

With two outs, Bret Blevins out-dueled Falcons starter John Fox to draw a walk in a ten-pitch plate appearance, keeping the inning alive. That brought up Ryan Johnston, who worked Fox for a full count before lashing a single (right) that brought in Beard and Blevins for a 3-1 Concord lead.

That chased Fox. But Corey Lilley came out of the bullpen to keep Concord in check and keep the score at 3-1.

Given run support, Zimm found a rhythm that kept FSU at bay. But after he allowed an infield single and a walk with one out in the bottom of the 8th, the sophomore left hander gave way to reliever Dustin Nuckels, who struck out Tyler Barnette and got Tyler Lucas on a comeback grounder to end the Falcons' threat.

To their credit, Fairmont State pieced together a dramatic rally in the bottom of the 9th that leveled the score. Brian Coleman drew a leadoff walk, and CU head coach Andrew Wright replaced Nuckels with Will Zuspan. The sophomore closer hit Shaun Vernesoni with a pitch, then allowed a bunt single to pinch hitter Garret Fetty that loaded the bases.

Earp lofted a sacrifice fly to left that pulled the Falcons with 3-2. Trevor Funk followed with a double into the left field corner that seemed destined to win the game; pinch runner Ryan Fenwick scored, but a relay of Devin Smith to Keith Morrisroe to Humphrey cut down Fetty at the plate and kept CU in the game. Zuspan retired Fondriest on a flyout to send the game to extra innings.

Blevins sparked CU's game-winning rally with a leadoff single to center in the 11th. Johnston sacrificed him to second, and Josh Wenger brought in the deciding run with an RBI single to the left field corner.

Zuspan retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to seal the win.

Wenger went 3-5 to pace Concord's offense, with Groves and Gattoni adding two hits each.

Zimm (above left) scattered six hits in 71/3 innings, striking out five in a 129-pitch performance. Zuspan worked the final three innings to get the win.

BOXSCORE/PLAY-BY-PLAY
(courtesy WVIAC)

Saturday was the final collegiate game for Concord's three seniors – Gattoni, Humphrey and captain Keith Morrisroe.

The Mountain Lions finish their 2012 campaign at 26-27.

(photos courtesy of Jennifer Logan)

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