ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team ran its winning streak to six games with a sweep of West Liberty, 11-1 and 13-10, Sunday afternoon in Mountain East Conference action at Anderson Field.
The Mountain Lions improve to 15-12 overall and take over the top spot in the MEC South Division with an 11-1 conference mark. West Liberty is now 9-18 overall and 5-7 versus MEC foes.
Game 1: Concord 11 – West Liberty 1
Concord gave plenty of run support to junior pitcher
Eddie Blake who was dominant in his weekend start.
West Liberty jumped on CU as the first pitch of the game turned into a solo home run.
The Mountain Lions responded with three runs in the bottom of the first inning as junior outfielder
D.J. Christian Jr. came up with a two-out, two-run triple to left center field.
Holding a 4-1 lead in the fifth inning, Concord took advantage of three WLU errors in the inning and piled on seven runs. With already two errors in the frame, junior infielder
Daniel Layne singled in the first run of the rally before sophomore infielder
Brendan Brady raced in on a wild pitch.
With the advantage at 7-1, junior infielder
Zack Saryeldin continued the rally with a two-run single into right center field. Two batters later, graduate outfielder
Kyle Keenan lifted a double into right center field, plating two runs, to take the lead to 11-1.
As for Blake (4-3), he came on to start the second inning—Concord continued its routine of an opener for the first inning. Blake tied his career high with 10 strikeouts, previously set last season at West Virginia Wesleyan, as he tossed six scoreless innings and allowed just three hits.
Offensively, CU needed just eight hits to score 11 times. Keenan was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI. Both of junior infielder
Chris Satcher's hits went for doubles, and Saryeldin's only hit of the game produced two RBI. Christian also had two RBI with his first-inning triple.
Game 2: Concord 13 – West Liberty 10
The nightcap turned into a slugfest as 10 runs over the second and third innings was enough for Concord to squeak by the Hilltoppers.
After a quiet first inning, the offenses turned into high gear in the second.
WLU plated six runs in the top of the second that included a three-run home run. However, CU came right back in the bottom half with five tallies. After a bases-loaded, run-scoring single from sophomore utility
MJ Hunter got Concord on the board, Saryeldin unloaded the bases with a double to center field for his first three of a six-RBI day.
Down a run in its next at-bat, the Mountain Lions posted another five runs in the third. Hunter again started the scoring with a squeeze bunt. Saryeldin followed with a two-run home run over the 392-foot sign in center field. With the bases re-loaded for Brady, he sprayed a two-run single through the right side to plate freshman outfielder
Dawson Gragg and Keenan.
After 10 unanswered runs from the Maroon and Gray, West Liberty responded in the next half inning with another three-run home run to pull within 10-9.
Saryeldin got Concord an insurance back in bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice fly.
But, the Hilltoppers weren't done as they climbed back to within 11-10 with a two-out RBI double in the sixth.
In its final at-bat, CU tacked on two runs as Christian scored after a leadoff double, and Hunter touched home on a two-out double from sophomore pitcher/infielder
Rylee Nicholas.
Senior pitcher
Andrew Neff worked a scoreless seventh to secure his second save of the season. Brady (2-0) pitched scoreless fourth and fifth innings to earn the win.
Saryeldin paced a 17-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with six RBI. Christian was 3-for-4 while Keenan had a second-straight multi-hit contest. Hunter was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored.
The Mountain Lions host Davis & Elkins for the start of MEC South Division play 1:00 p.m. Friday.
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