Concord Falters Against Charleston

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team lost two games to Charleston Sunday afternoon in Mountain East Conference play at Anderson Field, 12-5 and 18-4.

Game 1: Charleston 12 – Concord 5
The Golden Eagles scored ten unanswered runs as CU was unable to hold an early 5-2 edge.

Both teams plated runs in the first inning. UC (36-8, 24-4 MEC) scored two runs on a home run in the first inning. However, the Mountain Lions (25-19, 21-7 MEC) answered with a three-run home run by junior infielder Chris Satcher in the bottom of the first. The inning started with back-to-back singles from junior infielder Zack Saryeldin and graduate outfielder Josh Adkins before Satcher's one-out homer, his seventh of the year.

Graduate outfielder Kyle Keenan homered with two outs in the second inning after Adkins had drawn a walk in the previously plate appearance, increasing the CU lead to 5-2.

Charleston got a run back in the fourth to creep within 5-3 after four innings. The Mountain Lions missed a chance to add to its lead as it put two runners on base with one out. The lead stayed two runs before Charleston plated four runs in the top of the fifth.

UC tacked on five runs in the sixth.

Saryeldin was the only Concord batter with two hits, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Satcher and Keenan accounted for the RBI.

Junior pitcher Eddie Blake (5-6) was the pitcher of record as he allowed seven earned runs on eight hits in six innings. He struck out four.

Game 2: Charleston 18 – Concord 4
Again it was Concord jumping out to an early lead, but was unable to hang onto the advantage.

The first six batters of the inning reached as the Mountain Lions brought in four runs. Two walks and a bunt single by Adkins loaded the bases. A Charleston error scored the game's first run, and sophomore infielder Brendan Brady came through with a two-RBI single to plate Adkins and Keenan.

The fourth run, junior infielder Michael Dupont, touched home on an RBI groundout.

UC responded with four runs in the top of the second, and the game remained tied until the fourth.

A walk loaded the bases for the Golden Eagles, and it appeared that Concord may be able to get out of the jam. A borderline pitch went in favor of UC with two outs—that could have been strike three. Instead, an infield single sparked a two-out, five-run rally.

Charleston controlled the game from there on its way to a win.

Brady led four CU players with two hits. He drove in two runs as he went 2-for-2 with a walk. Adkins, junior outfielder D.J. Christian Jr. and Keenan all had two hits as well.

Keenan (1-2) was charged with the loss as he allowed five runs over 2.2 innings in relief.

Concord plays a split four-game series with Glenville State beginning 1:00 p.m. Friday at GSU. The series will shift to Anderson Field 1:00 p.m. Sunday.