INSTITUTE, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team was edged by West Virginia State twice, 3-2 and 6-5, in a Mountain East Conference doubleheader at Cal Bailey Field Sunday afternoon.
The Yellow Jackets (23-16, 18-6 MEC) collected two walk-off wins over Concord (24-16, 20-4 MEC).
Game 1: West Virginia State 3 – Concord 2
WVSU scored all three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning with the final two coming with two outs.
Graduate outfielder
Josh Adkins got the Mountain Lions on the board with a solo home run out to right field on an 0-2 pitch in the top of the third inning. It was Adkins' team-leading eighth home run of the season.
CU was able to extend its lead by a run in the fourth. Junior infielder
Chris Satcher led off with a double before walks to sophomore infielder
Brendan Brady and junior infielder
Daniel Layne loaded the bases with one out. Brady was able to score on a botched double play ball that was thrown away on an attempt to get the runner out at home plate.
Staked out to a 2-0 lead, junior pitcher
Eddie Blake was in control of the West Virginia State lineup from innings two through six. Only four batters reached base against the Moneta, Virginia native until a leadoff home run to start the seventh.
Back-to-back outs by Blake pushed the Yellow Jackets to the brink, but a walk and three straight singles gave WVSU the win.
Adkins had three of the seven hits for the Mountain Lions as he finished with a pair of doubles and the home run.
Blake (5-5) allowed three runs on five hits and struck out five over 5.2 innings.
Game 2: West Virginia State 6 – Concord 5
A back-and-forth game ended with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh by West Virginia State.
The early stages of the game was quiet with WVSU scoring a run in the bottom of the first. However, seven runs came across in the third inning.
CU brought in three runs in the top of the frame. Two walks in a row to senior catcher
Hunter Steel and sophomore utility
MJ Hunter set the stage for junior infielder
Zack Saryeldin to bring in Steel. Adkins followed with a second straight RBI single as both Hunter and Saryeldin touched home.
The Yellow Jackets took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the third with four runs.
Saryelin was part of a two-run frame in the fifth. The Weston, Florida native scored Steel on an RBI double after Steel had drawn a leadoff walk. After a couple wild pitches, Saryeldin tied the game as he scored on a West Virginia State miscue to tie the game at 5-5.
The game remain deadlocked until a one-out homer from West Virginia State in the bottom of the seventh.
Saryelin was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Adkins added two RBI. Brady finished 2-for-3.
Junior pitcher
Andrew Neff (9-2) was charged with the loss in relief as he started the seventh inning. Hunter went 2.2 innings as the starting pitcher, giving up five runs. Graduate outfielder
Kyle Keenan tossed 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
CU hosts Charleston for a four-game series starting 1:00 p.m. Saturday at Anderson Field.
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