NUTTER FORT, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team picked up two wins on Thursday afternoon at Frank Loria Field as it knocked off 23
rd nationally-ranked Mercyhurst, 5-3, before defeating Salem, 9-4.
The Mountain Lions improve to 8-3-1 this season.
Game 1: Concord 5 - #23 Mercyhurst 3
The Mountain Lions used three home runs and a strong start from sophomore pitcher
Eddie Blake to win by a pair of runs.
Concord jumped out first on the Lakers (5-2) with a three-run home run by sophomore catcher/infielder
Chris Satcher in the third inning. Consecutive one-out singles from sophomore infielder
Zack Saryeldin and junior outfielder
Josh Adkins in the third gave CU traffic in front of Satcher. The reigning Atlantic Regional Hitter of the Week cracked his second home run of the season out to right center field to break the scoreless seal.
Blake carried a no hitter into the fifth inning as he retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced. MU was finally able to solve the Moneta, Virginia native with a run in the frame. However, Blake rebounded with two more zeros in the sixth and seventh.
Leading 5-1 into the seventh inning stretch, CU's offense gave Blake more support as junior outfielder
Kyle Keenan led off the bottom with his first career home run at Concord.
Mercyhurst came back with a run in the top of the eighth, but once again the Mountain Lions had an answer as Saryeldin homered to start the bottom.
The Lakers got a tally in the ninth, but with the tying run at the plate freshman pitcher/infielder
Rylee Nicholas induced a groundout to end the game.
Nicholas earned his first career save while Blake improved to 3-0 on the mound. Blake scattered three hits and gave up two runs over 7.2 innings. Nicholas' run was unearned as he recorded the final four outs.
Saryeldin and Keenan both had singles in addition to their home runs.
Game 2: Concord 9 – Salem 4
Concord raced out to a 7-0 lead through six inning as it eased its way to a five-run win to sweep the day.
Freshman pitcher/infielder
MJ Hunter got the Mountain Lions off to a fast start as he knocked in a pair with a two-out, two-run single in the first inning. Hunter's two-out knock was preceded by sophomore infielder
Michael Dupont's RBI single to get CU on the board in a three-run first.
Saryeldin homered for the second game in a row with a solo shot in the top of the second.
Leading 5-0 into the sixth, Saryeldin doubled with two outs to keep the inning alive for junior outfielder
Josh Adkins to send his first home run of the season over the left field fence.
Salem (3-11) finally solved sophomore pitcher
Andrew Neff in the seventh as the Tigers plated a run in the bottom of the frame. SU crept to within 8-4 in the eighth, but Nicholas stranded the bases loaded to keep the four-run advantage.
Dupont added his second home run of the season in the top of the ninth to advance the lead to 9-4 and CU went on to win by the same margin.
Saryeldin (two doubles, home run) and fifth-year senior infielder
Anthony Stehlin both had three hits. Dupont recorded two hits and two RBI. Hunter was responsible for three RBI.
Neff (2-2) allowed four runs on seven hits over 7.1 innings as he tallied six strikeouts.
Concord takes on Salem 3:00 p.m. Friday looking for its sixth straight win.
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