Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – The Concord University baseball team opened up its 2014 season by splitting a doubleheader at fourth-ranked Mount Olive Sunday afternoon at Scarborough Field. The Mountain Lions took game one, 11-10, in 10 innings before dropping game two to the Trojans, 14-1.
Concord's win in game one was the program's first season-opening victory since defeating Belmont Abbey 8-6 in 2004.
Game One: Concord 11 – Mount Olive 10 (Box Score)
The Mountain Lions' offense picked up right where it left off from its historic 2013 season with a three-run first inning in game one.
With the bases loaded and just one out, senior first baseman
Joey Miller shot a single to center field that scored Blevins and junior second baseman
Jerrod Groves. Concord pushed its lead out to 3-0 later in the inning when a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman
T.J. Brockway plated junior outfielder
Ryan Johnston.
The Trojans cut the Mountain Lions' advantage to 3-2 with runs in the first and second inning, but Concord responded with a five-run fourth inning to take a seemingly comfortable 8-2 lead. CU started the inning by once again loading the bases for the heart of its batting order with Blevins answering by way of a three-run double to left field.
After Johnston drew a walk, Miller reached on fielder's choice that resulted in Blevins being thrown out at home for the inning's second out. Sophomore designated hitter
Joe Camp and Brockway came up big with back-to-back two-out run scoring singles for Concord's fourth and fifth runs of the frame.
However, Mount Olive answered back to tie the contest with one run in the fifth inning and five more in the sixth to make it a 8-8 game heading into the seventh.
Concord briefly retook the lead in the eighth inning by way of yet another two-out hit, this one being a RBI-single from Johnston that scored Blevins, who reached second base with a single followed by a stolen base. Not to be outdone, the Trojans evened the game in their half of the eighth on an infield single by Bretton Gouthro to make it a 9-9 contest.
The Mountain Lions finally broke through with the eventual game-winning runs in the 10th inning. Groves led off the inning with a double before moving to third on a fielding error that allowed Blevins to reach base. Johnston then came through with his second RBI of the night on a single to score Groves. A wild pitch advanced Blevins to third base leading to a sacrifice fly by Miller that allowed him tag up and score, giving Concord a 11-9 lead.
Mount Olive managed to get one run back in the bottom of the frame against senior relief pitcher
Tim Leather (1-0), but could not manage the tying score as Leather ended the game by forcing a game-ending groundout on the next at-bat to preserve the 11-10 win in extra innings.
Leather earned the victory after scattering two runs and three hits over 4.1 innings. The outing was the longest of his Concord career. Deshorn Lake took the loss for Mount Olive after giving up both runs in the 10th inning.
Senior pitcher
Ryan Weatherholtz got the start and had a solid outing, allowing just three runs on five hits over five innings of work. Senior pitcher
Chris Baker came on in relief of Weatherholtz in the sixth, giving up five runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Blevins, Johnston and Miller, Concord's three through five hitters, combined to go 9-for-15 with seven RBI and six runs scored. Individually, Blevins was 5-for-6 with three RBI, three runs and one stolen base. Johnston and Miller each recorded two hits and two RBI as well.
Groves also got his season off to a great start with a 3-for-5 opener that included three runs. As a team, Concord hit .438 (7-for-16) in game one when batting with two outs.
Game Two: Mount Olive 14 - Concord 1 (Box Score)
The Mountain Lions were unable to find their stride in the nightcap as the Trojans' pitchers held the Mountain Lions to just three hits while Mount Olive's offense had its second-highest run output of the season.
Groves, Brockway and sophomore shortstop
Brad Sullivan accounted for Concord's hits in game two. Sullivan also stole a pair of bases and scored the Mountain Lions' lone run on an RBI by sophomore outfielder
Andrew Seigel in the fifth inning. In addition to the RBI, Seigel also stole one base.
The Trojans took a 7-1 lead into the seventh inning where they added seven more runs en route to the victory.
Senior pitcher
Tyler Coyle (0-1) surrendered seven runs, six earned, over 5.2 innings in the loss.
Concord will look took take the series from Mount Olive with a victory 1:00 p.m. Monday.
