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Box Score 2 ATHENS, W. Va. – The Concord University baseball team split a pair of games Sunday at Anderson Field against Pitt-Johnstown. The Mountain Lions took game one, 10-8, before losing game two, 13-8. The doubleheader split combined with CU's victory over UPJ Saturday gives Concord its first series win of 2014.
The fact that Concord was even able to play its weekend series against Pitt-Johnstown was a testament to the Mountain Lions' hard work and dedication in preparing the field, which had eight inches of snow on field as of Wednesday. To view a photo gallery of CU's field preparation efforts, click
here.
Concord (3-3) was led on the day by senior first baseman
Joey Miller, who went 7-for-9 with five RBI, one home run and three doubles Sunday. Miller's home run is his second in the last three games. In addition to his success at the plate, Miller also had a stellar day in the field with several scoops and tag outs at first base.
Sophomore centerfielder
Andrew Seigel and junior second baseman
Jerrod Groves also produced four-hit afternoons as well with both players registering two hits in each game.
Game One: Concord 10 – Pitt-Johnstown 8 (Box Score)
Concord scored all 10 of its runs in three innings and held off a late Pitt-Johnstown (1-5) comeback bid to take the day's opener, 10-8.
Senior pitcher
Tyler Coyle evened his record to 1-1 on the season after lasting 6.1 innings and surrendering six runs, only two of which were earned, on 11 hits while striking out two batters. Coyle did not walk a single batter vs. UPJ.
The Mountain Lions struck first when sophomore shortstop
Brad Sullivan's double down the right field line scored junior third baseman
T.J. Brockway from first base to put Concord up 1-0. CU added three more runs in the fifth off of back-to-back-to-back RBI singles from Groves, junior outfielder
Ryan Johnston and Miller.
After Pitt-Johnstown cut into the Concord advantage with two runs in the sixth inning, the Maroon and Gray swiftly answered back with a six-run frame of their own in the bottom of the inning.
The offensive barrage started with sophomore catcher Charlie Goss' two-run home run and continued with three consecutive run-scoring doubles off the bats of Johnston, Miller and sophomore designated hitter
Joe Camp. Concord's 10th run came off an RBI-single from Brockway to give CU a comfortable eight run lead.
UPJ managed to dig out of its hole with six runs in the seventh and eighth innings, but would get no closer as senior relief pitcher
Chris Baker stranded Mountain Cat base runners in the ninth to preserve the victory. Baker came on in relief of Coyle in the seventh inning with CU leading 10-6 and a runner on second. He went on to scatter four hits and two runs over 2.2 innings.
Eight of Concord's nine starters picked up at least one hit in game one with Miller leading the way on a 4-for-5, two-RBI effort. Seigel, Groves, Johnston, Brockway and Sullivan all had two hits.
UPJ's Derek Younker took the loss after giving up four runs on nine hits in four innings.
Game Two: Pitt-Johnstown 13 – Concord 8 (Box Score)
The Mountain Lions were poised to make it a three-game series sweep over Pitt-Johnstown after taking a seemingly commanding four-run lead over the Mountain Cats through three innings. However, UPJ avoided its sixth consecutive loss thanks in part to a seven-run sixth inning that helped pave the way for its 13-8 win.
Pitt-Johnstown mounted its comeback with a run in the fifth inning to cut the Concord lead 6-3 before coming away with its aforementioned seven-run performance in the sixth to pull ahead 10-6.
The Mountain Lions dug into the UPJ lead with one run in the bottom of the inning, but Pitt-Johnstown ended any thoughts of a Concord rally with three runs in the top of the seventh. CU posted its final run in the bottom of the seventh, but UPJ pitcher Ryan Socol retired two Concord batters with the bases loaded to close out the game.
The top of Concord's batting order once again had a productive game as CU's 1-4 hitters combined to go 7-for-15 from the plate with seven RBI. Miller continued his hot streak by driving in three runs and finishing 3-for-4 with one double and one home run. Miller exits CU's second weekend of competition batting .500 (12-for-24) with two home runs, three doubles and 10 RBI.
Sophomore pitcher
Chris Kelly got the start for the Mountain Lions in game two. He threw five innings, striking out one batter and giving up four runs on 71 pitches.
UPJ's Brantley Rice picked up the win by holding Concord to one run over three innings. Pitt-Johnstown was led at the plate by Jake Stern, who went 5-for-5 with five RBI
Concord continues its 11-game homestand with four games March 1-2 against Fairmont State in what will be both team's first Mountain East Conference contests.
