BECKLEY, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball tean notched two come-from-behind victories on Sunday afternoon over Pitt-Johnstown at Epling Stadium in non-conference action by scores of 7-3 and 11-9.
The Mountain Lions pick up their first two wins of the season and now sit at 2-6 overall. UPJ, meanwhile, falls to 2-5.
Game 1: Concord 7 – Pitt-Johnstown 3CU erupted for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to overtake the Mountain Cats after trailing 3-2 heading into the frame.
The rally started with sophomore infielder
Chad Frazier drawing a lead-off walk and freshman infielder
Brett Simmons singling to right field. After moving up on a wild pitch, Frazier scored on an RBI base hit by sophomore catcher
Paul Williams to tie the game 3-3.
Williams scored two batters later as senior infielder
Brad Sullivan recorded the go-ahead and game-winning RBI. Concord was not content with a one-run edge. Sophomore outfielder
Andy Szamski ripped a base hit down the left field line as senior outfielder
Andrew Seigel and Sullivan came around to score.
Szamski also scored in the frame when redshirt freshman infielder
Trevor Wiersma doubled to deep center field to complete the rally and comeback for the Mountain Lions.
Senior pitcher
Chris Kelly retired UPJ in order in the top of the seventh to move to 1-1 on the season and give CU a 7-3 victory.
After giving up three runs (two earned) in the first inning, Kelly settled down and retired 14 straight batters. The Grundy, Virginia native also struck out three batters as he allowed four hits and three runs over seven innings.
Earlier in the game, redshirt freshman catcher / first baseman
Jordan Clark hit his first career home run, a line drive shot down the left field line.
Five different Mountain Lions had multi-hit games as Seigel was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Senior infielder
Holt Cassada, Clark, Sullivan and Szamski each had two hits with both of Clark's hits going for extra bases. Â
With three hits, Seigel went over 200 career base knocks in his career.
Game 2: Concord 11 – Pitt-Johnstown 9A six-spot in the second inning was more than enough to push Concord in front for good in the night cap against UPJ.
Finding themselves down 4-1 after the Mountain Cats batted in the second, CU used patience and timely hitting to take a 7-4 lead after two innings.
The scoring spurt began with two walks by Frazier and Williams. Later in the frame, Seigel and Sullivan drew back-to-back bases loaded walks to cut the Pitt-Johnstown's lead to 4-3. Szamski followed the free passes with an RBI base hit before Wiersma had an RBI groundout. Clark, the next batter, capped the rally with a two-run double to give CU a three-run lead.
The Mountain Cats got to within a run in the fourth before Concord scored four of the game's next five runs. In the CU fourth, Cassada singled in Wiersma. In the sixth, Clark roped another two-run double down the left field line while Cassada came through with another RBI base hit to give CU an 11-7 lead heading to the seventh.
After Pitt-Johnstown scored two runs in the inning, junior pitcher
Eli Flynn struck out UPJ's Jake Stern with the bases-loaded to end the game and earn his first career save.
Clark and Szamski powered the offense in game two with Clark driving in four run and Szamski finishing with three hits. Additionally, Cassada and Wiersma had two hits.
In the nightcap, CU's 3-6 hitters of Szamski, Wiersma, Clark and Cassada were a combined 9-for15 with nine RBI and five runs scored.
Sophomore pitcher
Damon Frazier (1-1) earned the win in relief for the Mountain Lions as he went 3.1 innings giving up five hits and three runs (one earned).
'Concord travels to Winston-Salem State March 5-6 for a three-game set.
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