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Box Score 2 ATHENS, W. Va. – Behind three solid pitching performances, the Concord University baseball team opened up Mountain East Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of Fairmont State Saturday at Anderson Field. The Mountain Lions took game one, 4-0, and came back in game two to down the Falcons, 5-4, in extra innings.
The victories improve Concord's record to 5-3 overall and 2-0 in league play. FSU falls to 0-6 overall and 0-2 in the MEC.
The pitching trio of senior starters
Ryan Weatherholtz (2-0) and
Tyler Coyle as well as senior reliever
Tim Leather (2-0) paved the way for the Mountain Lions' wins. Weatherholtz threw a complete-game shutout in the opener, Coyle struck out eight batters in seven innings to start game two with Leather coming on in relief to throw a pair of scoreless innings en route to the win.
Offensively, Concord was paced by senior first baseman
Joey Miller. The reigning National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Hitter of the Week went a combined 4-for-7 with three RBI and a double on the day.
Game One: Concord 4 – Fairmont State 0 (
Box Score)
The Mountain Lions posted three runs in the bottom of the first inning which was more than enough support for Weatherholtz who was dominant for a second consecutive start, allowing just four hits and no walks on 71 pitches.
After freshman outfielder
Andrew Seigel, junior second baseman
Jerrod Groves and senior outfielder
Bret Blevins reached base to begin the game, Miller plated a pair of runs off of a single up the middle. CU's third score of the inning came with two outs on an RBI-double by sophomore designated hitter
Joe Camp to plate Blevins.
Concord added an additional run in the fourth inning on a single to left field by sophomore shortstop
Brad Sullivan that scored freshman outfielder
Eli Flynn, who beat out an infield single earlier in the inning.
With a four-run lead, Weatherholtz proceeded to close out the contest by surrendering just one hit over the final three innings on the way to CU's 4-0 win to begin the day.
For the game, Miller finished 2-for-3 with two RBI while six other Mountain Lions registered one-hit games. Sullivan and senior catcher
Brandon Costa each tallied stolen bases as well.
FSU's Ryan Fenwick gave up all four runs on eight hits and four walks over six innings in the loss.
Game Two: Concord 5 – Fairmont State 4 (Nine innings) (Box Score)
Concord overcame a one-run deficit heading into the sixth inning to come away with the extra-inning victory in game two.
The Mountain Lions once again struck early, pulling ahead 2-1 through three innings off of runs in the first and the third thanks to yet another RBI-hit from Miller and heads-up base running by Groves. However, Fairmont State stormed back with a two-run sixth inning to take a 3-2 lead with Concord down to its final six outs.
Not to be outdone, Concord answered back with two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame by way of an RBI-triple from junior
Ryan Johnston and a sacrifice fly by Camp to retake the lead, 4-3. FSU once again was able to respond with a run in the seventh inning as well as a perfect bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
Neither team was able to produce a base runner in the eighth inning and Leather, who entered the game in the eighth, stranded a runner on first base in the ninth to take the game to the bottom of the inning with the score still tied at 4-4.
Camp led off the bottom of the ninth by reaching on a fielding error which allowed sophomore Charlie Goss to pinch run and eventually steal second base, giving Concord a runner on second with no outs in the deciding inning. A pair of intentional walks to junior
T.J. Brockway and Sullivan would load the bases and Fairmont State managed to record one out before Seigel ended the game with a sacrifice fly to right field which brought in Brockway for the win.
Coyle received a no decision after giving seven strong innings. Leather needed just 25 pitches to strikeout a pair of batters and record his second win of the year.
CU's first six batters all had hits including a 2-for-4 performance for Miller. On the year, Miller is 16-for-31.
Fairmont State Nick Mayle was the pitcher of record for Fairmont State, giving up one run on two walks.
Concord will look to complete the four-game sweep of Fairmont State 11:00 a.m. Sunday. The game's start time was moved up an hour due to impending weather in the region.
