Concord Squares Off with Wheeling to Begin MEC Tournament

Concord Stats - Wheeling Stats - Live Stats - Live Video - Tournament Central

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team begins Mountain East Conference Tournament play 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Epling Stadium in Beckley, West Virginia.

LIVE COVERAGE
Stats: The MEC will provide live in-game statistics of Thursday's nine-inning game.
Video: Live streaming video will also be provided by the league office.

RECORDS AND FORMAT
The Mountain Lions claimed the third seed in the MEC South Division with a conference mark of 14-18. CU is 15-21 overall.

Wheeling finished the regular season as the MEC North Champions with a record of 22-9. The Cardinals' 27-12 mark is a single-season record for most wins in program history.

With a win Thursday, Concord plays at 7:00 p.m. Friday. A loss would send CU into an elimination game 12:00 p.m. Friday.

KEEPING THE STREAK GOING
Concord had to rally from a 9-8 seventh-inning deficit against Glenville State in the final game of the regular season to advance to its 23^rd consecutive conference tournament. Junior infielder Anthony Stehlin's two-run RBI single into left field helped the Mountain Lions advance to the MEC Tournament. The Maroon and Gray is the only team in the MEC to make all seven MEC Tournaments in league history. It was the second time in three years, CU had a walk-off win in the final regular season that clinched a tournament berth. In 2018, Concord defeated UVa.-Wise in extra innings in a walk-off win at Anderson Field to seal a tournament spot. On Wednesday, senior pitcher Trent Abernathy, junior infielder Evan Antonellis, sophomore outfielder Richard Ortiz, freshman infielder Zack Saryeldin and Stehlin were all named to the All-MEC Teams, marking the ninth straight season Concord has had at least five players on the all-conference squads. Stehlin was named the MEC Player of the Year, the seventh such player in program history to win league player of the year.

STRONG STARTS
During the Glenville State series, Abernathy, freshman utility Eddie Blake and senior pitcher Spencer Hoyt all turned in stellar starts for the Mountain Lions. Abernathy pitcher a career-high 9.1 innings as he improved to 4-3 on the season. It was the first time a CU pitcher threw more than nine innings since Austin Southcott at Glenville State in 2017. Abernathy struck out nine and gave up two earned runs—the sixth time in nine starts Abernathy has allowed three or fewer earned runs this season. It was also the seventh start this season that Abernathy has struck out at least six. Blake needed just 77 pitches to sail through six innings before receiving a no decision in game three of the series. For the second time in three starts, Hoyt retired double-digit batters in a row as he sat down 10 straight Pioneers from the first to the fifth innings. Hoyt retired 14 straight in his start against Davis & Elkins.

LOOKING FOR REVENGE
Concord has lost all three games to Wheeling this season, including a non-conference game to start the season in Nutter Fort, West Virginia. CU also dropped an MEC doubleheader at Anderson Field to the Cardinals. The first two games were three-runs games before Wheeling won 13-6 to conclude the regular-season series. Sophomore outfielder Josh Adkins hit one of his two home runs of the year in the first game of the season against Wheeling. Junior pitcher Dan Nicholls struck out a career-best nine to open the season against the Cardinals. Abernathy punched out nine in his start against Wheeling March 22 as he allowed two earned runs on five hits. Antonellis is 4-for-7 this season versus WU with one of his five home runs for 2021. Freshman infielder Michael Dupont, sophomore infielder Juan Fortique and Stehlin are all 3-for-8 this season against the Cardinals with Fortique adding two RBI.

WHEELING AT A GLANCE
The Cardinals have not only broken the program's single-season wins mark, but have also set records in just about every major offensive category. Five Wheeling hitters were named All-MEC led by first team selections Luis Dominguez, Chris Iazzetta and Jacob Murray. Dominguez hit a game-tying home run in the top of the seventh inning of game two of the season series as WU went on to win 8-5. CU was able to touch up Wheeling starter and All-MEC First Team performer Jared Naida for five runs in four innings in the 8-5 WU victory. Naida has only allowed more than five runs in one start since his outing at Concord.