Concord Goes 1-1 at Winston-Salem State

WINSTON-SALEM STATE, N.C. – The Concord University baseball team split a doubleheader with Division II Atlantic Regional opponent Winston-Salem State at BB&T Filed Wednesday.

Stellar pitching led the Mountain Lions in both games as they won the first game 5-2 and narrowly lost the nightcap on a walk-off single by the Rams 1-0.

After the split, CU is now 3-5 this season while WSSU, who entered the day as a top five regionall-ranked team and also was receiving votes in the national poll, is 15-5.

Game 1: Concord 5 – Winston-Salem State 2
Over the first four innings, pitching dominated the game as neither Concord starter senior Barinder Rakkar or Winston-Salem's starter were threatened.

But in the fifth inning, CU broke through as junior infielder Holt Cassada came home on an RBI triple from freshman outfielder Andy Szamski. Later in the inning, Szamski would hustle home on a wild pitch by the Rams to give CU a 2-0 edge.

In the half home of the inning, the Rams loaded the bases with one out, but could only push one run across on a sac fly as Rakkar (1-1) preserved a one-run lead, who pitched five innings giving up just the one earned run.

Redshirt freshman third baseman Damon Frazier tossed the final two innings to not only secure the win for Rakkar, but also pick up his first collegiate save in the process.

CU padded its lead with a run in the top of the sixth and two runs in the seventh while the Rams pushed across a run in the seventh.

The seventh runs came via an error by WSSU's second baseman on a ball hit by senior first baseman Ryan Johnston that allowed junior shortstop Brad Sullivan to score while the other run was a bases-loaded to junior catcher Charlie Goss.

Game 2: Winston-Salem State 1 – Concord 0
Just like the first game, the second game provided another pitcher's duel between Concord's Nate Werner and a stable of Rams' arms as they used five different pitchers to limit the Mountain Lions offensively.

Werner (1-1) retired the first 10 batters he faced in the game.

The game appeared to be headed to extra innings after Werner had tossed 6.2 innings of shutout ball and had limited Winston-Salem State to four hits, however, WSSU scored on a walk-off single to end the game.

Redshirt infielder Chad Frazier, senior second baseman Jerrod Groves and redshirt freshman catcher Paul Williams each had one hit for Concord.

The Mountain Lions will host Fairmont State 2:00 p.m. Sunday and 1:00 p.m. Monday at Anderson Field.