Concord Splits First Two Games Versus West Virginia State

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team split two games with West Virginia State Saturday afternoon at Anderson Field as CU won game one 14-0, but was edged 9-8 in the nightcap.

The Mountain Lions are 16-15 and 9-5 in the Mountain East Conference while WVSU is 12-16 and 5-9 in league play.

Game 1: Concord 14 – West Virginia State 0
Concord scored seven runs in the third inning and never looked back as it cruised to a 14-0 win.

With the game scoreless going to the bottom of the third, the CU bats broke out with seven runs in the frame. Junior infielder Chad Frazier singled in a pair runners, freshman infielder Nathan Neff and junior catcher Paul Williams, to put Concord up 3-0.

With CU leading 5-0, sophomore catcher Jordan Clark capped the inning with a two-run home run over the left field fence to give the Mountain Lions a commanding 7-0 advantage.

Concord added to its cushion in the fourth as Clark, Frazier and sophomore outfielder Evan Webb recorded run-scoring hits to push Concord in front 10-0.

CU's offense wasn't done as it used the long ball again in the fifth inning to plate four more runs. After a West Virginia State error kept a two-out rally alive in the frame that allowed a run to score, sophomore infielder Trevor Wiersma deposited his fourth home run of the season over the left field fence to make it a 14-0 Concord lead.   

Sophomore pitcher Troy Beckner improved to 6-0 on the season while lowering his ERA to 1.57. The Roanoke, Virginia native worked five innings, scattering six hits and striking out two batters.  Redshirt freshman pitcher Cody Dooley tossed the final two innings for CU.

Clark, Frazier and Wiersma all had three RBI in the win. Frazier finished 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored as well. Sophomore infielder Brett Simmons and Webb each had three hits in the game with Simmons scoring twice.

In addition to Frazier, Clark and Wiersma each had two hits.

Game 2: West Virginia State 9 – Concord 8
The Yellow Jackets plated the game's decisive run in the top of the eighth as they got past Concord by the smallest of margins.

The game was a back-and-forth affair early on as WVSU's two first innings runs were answered by Frazier's RBI single and Wiersma's RBI double in the bottom half.

The Mountain Lions again answered a two-run third by West Virginia State with three scores in the bottom of the third. Frazier and Wiersma reached to begin the rally on a single and walk. Two batters later, Clark doubled home Frazier before Wiersma crossed home on a safety squeeze bunt by freshman infielder Jakob Divers. The inning was capped by Clark racing home on a wild pitch.   

However, WVSU retook the lead in the fifth, and had an 8-5 edge heading to the bottom of the seventh before Concord rallied to tie the game.

Back-to-back doubles from Williams and Frazier to start the inning drew CU to within 8-6. Wiersma stepped up to the plate and blasted his second home run of the day over the right center field fence to even the game.

But, the next nine CU batters would be retired in order, and WVSU plated a run in the eighth to keep the Mountain Lions from taking the first two games of the series.
Wiersma went 2-for-4 at the dish with two runs scored and three RBI to bring his Saturday total to six RBI. Frazier notched a three-hit game by going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI.

Freshman pitcher Trent Abernathy (0-1) was charged with the loss in relief as he covered the final 4.2 innings, scattering six hitters and one earned run. Senior pitcher Austin Southcott tossed the first 4.1 innings of the contest, giving up five earned runs.

The two teams will resume the four-game set 1:00 p.m. Sunday with a doubleheader.