WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team split the first two games of a weekend four-game set with West Liberty Saturday afternoon at Kovalick Field in Mountain East Conference play.
CU (26-17, 22-14 MEC) was held to two hits in a 4-0 loss, but the offense rebounded in an 8-3 win over the Hilltoppers (22-17, 18-12 MEC) in game two.
Game 1: West Liberty 4 – Concord 0 Senior outfielder
Jerrod Groves went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Mountain Lions, the only Concord player to record a hit against WLU starter Mark Smyth.
The Hilltoppers scored a run in the first and second innings off of Concord junior starting pitcher
Chris Kelly (6-2) before adding two more runs in the fourth inning.
Kelly gave up nine hits, but struck out four WLU hitters. Additionally, it was the first time the Concord ace had lost a decision since his first start of the season March 1 vs Shepherd.
Game 2: Concord 8 – West Liberty 3The Concord bats busted out with three runs in the fifth inning to turn a slim 2-0 lead into a 5-0 lead before adding three more runs in the seventh inning.
After junior infielder
Holt Cassada and freshman outfielder
Andy Szamski each drove in a run in the second and third, respectively, the Mountain Lions had an elongated rally against West Liberty starter Greg Stagani in the fifth.
After the first two batters, junior shortstop
Brad Sullivan and junior outfielder
Andrew Seigel, reached to begin the inning via a walk and bunt single, Szamski ripped double into right center field to add his MEC-leading 57
th and 58
th RBI of the season. The Glen Arm, Maryland also scored in the frame after stealing third and crossing the plate on a West Liberty error.
WLU rallied with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, but the CU offense answered the call with a trio of its own runs.
With one out in the seventh, WLU elected to intentionally walk senior first baseman
Ryan Johnston to loaded the bases, however, the decision backfired as redshirt freshman pitcher / third baseman
Damon Frazier turned on a pitch and smashed a double down the left field line to plate Groves and Szamski. Johnston also scored in the inning on a RBI single from redshirt freshman infielder
Chad Frazier.
Sophomore pitcher
Zach Kelly pitched 5.2 innings, allowing three runs and striking out four batters, as he tied C. Kelly for the team lead in wins at six. Freshman pitcher
Reece Edwards recorded the final four outs to earn his second career save.
Edwards entered the game with the go-ahead run and WLU leadoff hitter D.J. Busby at the plate, but induced a fly out to center field.
Offensively, D. Frazier and Szamski each had two hits for the Mountain Lions.
Concord and West Liberty will continue their series 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
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