BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team was clipped in two close games against Fairmont State, 8-6 and 1-0, Sunday afternoon in Mountain East Conference play at the Bridgeport Recreation Complex.
Game 1: Fairmont State 8 – Concord 6
The Mountain Lions (17-10-1, 7-5 MEC) raced out to a 6-1 lead after the top of the fourth, but could not hold off a late charge from Fairmont State (14-13, 9-3 MEC)
With two outs in the fourth, Concord strung together five consecutive runs. Freshman infielder/pitcher
MJ Hunter unloaded the bases with a three-run double down the right field line to give the Mountain Lions a 4-1 edge. Hunter would then come around to score on an RBI single from fifth-year senior outfielder
Brandon Bayne two batters later. The two-out rally was capped by a run-scoring hit to center field from sophomore infielder
Zack Saryeldin to get sophomore outfielder
D.J. Christian home.
FSU answered the five-run top half with four runs in the bottom of the inning to pull within 6-5. The momentum continued for the Fighting Falcons in the fifth as they scored three more runs to go up 8-6.
CU got the tying run on base in the sixth and had the tying run at the plate in the seventh, but could not scratch across any more runs to force extra innings with Fairmont State.
Hunter notched three RBI on his fifth double of the season. Saryeldin had two hits at the top of the order.
Freshman pitcher/infielder
Rylee Nicholas (3-1) was charged with the loss as he allowed three runs (one earned) in two innings of relief. Sophomore pitcher
Eddie Blake struck out seven over four innings in his start, allowing three earned runs.
Game 2: Fairmont State 1 – Concord 0
A throwing error in the bottom of the seventh allowed the game's only run to cross as CU was edged for a second straight time Sunday.
Freshman pitcher
Jacob Nester and Fairmont State's Will Mullins only allowed one hit combined through three innings as Nester recorded nine outs before giving up his first hit of the game.
The Mountain Lions got a runner to second with one out in the fourth, but was unable to cash in. And after giving up single and hitting a batter, Nester escaped the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back strikeouts to strand a pair of runners in scoring position.
Fairmont State threatened in the bottom of the fifth with two more runners in scoring position, but Nester induced a groundout to end the frame. Concord looked as though it would break in the sixth as fifth-year senior infielder
Anthony Stehlin singled to lead off the inning and got to third with just one out, but CU was unable to get the run in.
Into the seventh, FSU got the first batter of the frame on base. A bunt single during the next at-bat was unable to be fielded cleanly as the throw to first got away down the right field line, allowing Dylan Gongola to race around the bags and score.
Nester (1-2) struck out six over six innings and only allowed four hits as he was the tough-luck loser.
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