Concord Rallies Late to Defeat Wheeling, 4-3

<strong>CHARLESTON, W.Va. –</strong> The Concord University baseball team scored the final four runs of the game as it stormed back from a 3-0 deficit to down Wheeling 4-3 Thursday afternoon in the Mountain East Conference Tournament GoMart Ballpark.<br /> <br /> Trailing 3-0 into the seventh inning—and with just two hits to their credit—the Mountain Lions (28-19) rallied for three runs to tie the game.<br /> <br /> Sophomore pitcher/infielder Rylee Nicholas cracked a one-out double to right field, and came around to score on a two-out base hit from sophomore utility MJ Hunter. After back-to-back walks to junior infielder Zack Saryeldin and graduate outfielder Josh Adkins loade1 the bases, graduate outfielder Kyle Keenan came through with a two-run single to knot the game.<br /> <br /> Wheeling (28-21) wiggled out of further trouble to keep the game, 3-3.<br /> <br /> CU escaped trouble in the top of the eighth as Nicholas stranded the bases loaded. And the momentum carried over to the bottom of the half. Junior outfielder D.J. Christian Jr. led off the frame with a single to right field. He would move to second on a balk and get to third on a bunt. With an 0-2 count on senior catcher Hunter Steel, Christian scurried home on a wild pitch.<br /> <br /> The one-run edge was enough for Nicholas in the top of the ninth as he struck out the first two batters before inducing a flyout to Adkins in center field.<br /> <br /> Wheeling scored three batters into the game on a solo home run, and added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take the lead to 3-0.<br /> <br /> Keenan finished 2-for-4, including a first-inning triple, to go with two RBI. Christian Jr. and Hunter both had two hits on the day.<br /> <br /> Nicholas (7-5) was the winning pitcher for CU as he tossed two scoreless of relief while striking out two.<br /> <br /> Concord faces Frostburg State 1:00 p.m. Friday at the MEC Tournament.<br />  <br />