ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team began the season by falling to Pitt-Johnstown 26-14 before the second game of the doubleheader ended in a tie, 11-11, due to darkness at Anderson Field Sunday afternoon.
Game 1: Pitt-Johnstown 26 – Concord 14
The Mountain Lions had a brief 4-2 lead after one inning, but UPJ scored 13 straight runs to take command of the game.
Concord answered two Pitt-Johnstown runs in the first with four runs on just two hits in the bottom of the inning. Senior infielder
Evan Antonellis and sophomore infielder
Michael Dupont both recorded bases-loaded walks in the frame.
However, the Mountain Cats scored three runs in the top of the second and added seven runs in the third inning to lead 12-4.
The biggest offensive inning for CU came in a six-run sixth. Antonellis brought in two runs with a single before Dupont plated a pair with his second two-run double of the contest.
Dupont collected five RBI as he went 2-for-3 with the two doubles. Sophomore infielder
Chris Satcher had three hits and three RBI. Antonellis drove in three runs. Junior outfielder
Richard Ortiz and sophomore infielder
Zack Saryeldin both had two hits.
Sophomore pitcher
Andrew Neff was the loser in game one as he tossed 2.2 innings.
Game 2: Concord 11 – Pitt-Johnstown 11
Concord let an 11-0 lead slip away over the final three innings as CU and the Mountain Cats finished in a tie due to the game being called because of darkness.
The Mountain Lions jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings as they scored five runs in the second. Saryeldin brought in a pair of runs on his second double of the game and fifth-year senior infielder
Anthony Stehlin and Ortiz followed with a run-scoring singles. Satcher capped the rally with his own base hit that brought in Ortiz.
Saryeldin was in the middle of a four-run third. After Concord loaded the bases to start the inning, Saryeldin snuck a grand slam down the right field line to push Concord out to an 11-0 advantage.
Pitt-Johnstown was finally able to get to CU starter sophomore
Eddie Blake in the fifth after Blake had shut out the Mountain Cats in the first four innings. UPJ plated six runs in the fifth with five being charged to Blake.
Still up 11-6 going to the seventh, Concord watched UPJ score five runs to tie the game.
Concord got a one-out walk from junior infielder
Daniel Layne in the bottom of the seventh. However, Layne was thrown out at home, and after the next at-bat the game was called due to lack of daylight.
All three of Saryeldin's hits went for extra bases as he recorded six RBI. Ortiz had two hits, two RBI and two stolen bases.
Blake struck out four over 4.1 innings as he allowed five runs on six hits.
The teams conclude the series 12:00 p.m. Monday.
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