CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team used a combination of strong pitching and a few timely hits to move to 2-0 at the Mountain East Conference Tournament with a win over Frostburg State, 5-2, Friday afternoon at GoMart Ballpark.
Graduate outfielder
Kyle Keenan was responsible for three of Concord (29-19) runs scoring in the contest. Trailing 2-1 in the third, Keenan fielder's choice and subsequent throwing error by FSU (31-19) brought in junior infielder
Zack Saryeldin after he had walked early in the frame. Two batters later, Keenan came around to score on an RBI single by sophomore infielder
Brendan Brady, pushing the Mountain Lions back in front.
Keenan was in the middle of the scoring in the fifth inning too. Two of the three batters of the frame reached by way on a leadoff single from sophomore utility
MJ Hunter, and a one-out walk to graduate outfielder
Josh Adkins. Keenan roped a single into center field to double the Concord lead, 4-2.
On the first pitch Keenan saw with one out in the seventh, the Fredericksburg, Virginia native sent his sixth home run of the season out to left field.
Meanwhile, the CU pitching staff was locked in after a small hiccup in the second inning, a two-run homer by Frostburg State. Junior pitcher
Eddie Blake retired seven of the final nine hitters he faced before passing the baton off to fellow junior pitcher
Andrew Neff.
After giving up a single on the first pitch he threw, Neff became unhittable as he retired the next 11 batters he faced while striking out five. Neff (12-2) would be the pitcher of record as he gave up the lone hit, walk no one and struck out five.
After 3.2 scoreless innings, Neff handed off to sophomore pitcher/infielder
Rylee Nicholas who retired six of the seven batters he faced in the eighth and ninth innings for his second save of the season. He struck out two.
Keenan was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Brady was also 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Adkins was on base three times, including recording his team-best ninth home run of the season two batters into the game.
After Friday's results, Concord is the lone team remaining in the tournament at 2-0 and has a rematch with Frostburg State 1:00 p.m. Saturday. Regardless of result, CU will have a game on Sunday.Â
