Concord's Run at MEC Tournament Ends Saturday

BECKLEY, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team fell in a pair of games at the Mountain East Conference Tournament Saturday at Epling Stadium

CU lost the first game of the day to Shepherd 4-2 before dropping a 7-1 decision to West Virginia State that eliminated the Mountain Lions from the MEC Tournament.

Game 1: Shepherd 4 – Concord 2
SU scored two runs in the seventh to retake the lead and not look back against Concord.

Shepherd jumped on the board early with a run in the third, and then another in the fifth. However, the Mountain Lions fought back as they loaded the bases in the sixth. Senior outfielder
Jerrod Groves and junior outfielder Andrew Seigel scored in the frame on a Shepherd miscue in the field to knot the game at 2-2.

But, the Rams answered with a two-run single in the seventh to regain a 4-2 edge as they went on to win by the same margin.

Sophomore pitcher Nate Werner (5-5) tossed eight innings, giving up four runs (three earned) and striking out four batters.

Redshirt freshman catcher Paul Williams had two of CU's three hits in the contest.

Game 2: West Virginia State 7 – Concord 1
The Yellow Jackets used a four-run first inning to down the Mountain Lions.

Senior first baseman Ryan Johnston supplied Concord's only run of the game with a solo home run in the second inning, the 23^rd of his career.

WVSU added three more runs in the eighth inning to pad its lead, going on to win 7-1.

Johnston and freshman outfielder Andy Szamski each had two hits for the Mountain Lions.

Senior pitcher Bryant Pybus (4-1) was tagged in the loss as he went 7.1 innings, striking out a career-high five batters.

The two losses end Concord's season, but the Mountain Lions finish the season at 30-23, and by winning Friday night it was the third straight year CU has recorded a 30-win season.

Senior outfielder T.J. Brockway, Groves Johnston, Pybus and senior pitcher Barinder Rakkar played their last game in the Maroon and Gray Saturday night.