GLENVILLE, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team won the first two games of a Mountain East Conference South Division series over Glenville State, 11-4 and 5-1, at Kenny Greenlief Field.
CU improves to 27-19 this season and 23-7 in the MEC South. Glenville State falls to 22-26 overall and 15-15 versus conference foes.
Game 1: Concord 11 – Glenville State 4
Powered by three, three-run innings, the Mountain Lions cruised to a seven-run victory in the first game of the four-game series.
Leading 2-1 into the third inning, Concord posted three runs to gain a comfortable advantage—and needed just one hit during the rally. With runners on first and second, a GSU throwing error allowed junior infielder
Chris Satcher to score. Sophomore infielder
Brendan Brady scored on freshman outfielder's
Dawson Gragg sacrifice fly. The lone hit in the frame on a two-out RBI double from sophomore utility
MJ Hunter.
After a scoreless fourth, Concord tacked on three more runs in the fifth.
Hunter started the scoring as his groundout forced in junior outfielder
D.J. Christian Jr. Junior infielder
Zack Saryeldin and graduate outfielder
Josh Adkins followed with back-to-back RBI singles.
With the lead at 8-2 going to the seventh, the Maroon and Gray wasn't done scoring. Consecutive one-out walks set the stage for Adkins to drive in his third run of the day on his third hit. Graduate outfielder
Kyle Keenan followed with an RBI single. And the rally was capped by a sacrifice fly from Satcher that brought in Adkins.
Friday was a record-setting day for junior pitcher
Andrew Neff. The right-hander improved to 11-2 on the mound as he set the single-season program record for wins. His four strikeouts over six innings elevated his season total to 86, breaking the single-season record for strikeouts set by assistant coach
Trent Abernathy in 2021 at 85.
Neff allowed three runs on five hits to go with his five strikeouts.
Adkins was 3-for-4, all singles, with three RBI. Hunter and Saryeldin each had two hits with a double. Hunter drove in two runs. Keenan added a 2-for-4 afternoon with two RBI.
Game 2: Concord 5 – Glenville State 1 (Eight Innings)
Gragg's grand slam in top of the eighth was the difference in the game.
The low-scoring affair saw Glenville State score a run in the second inning, but was blanked by sophomore pitcher/infielder
Rylee Nicholas over the next five innings. The Mountain Lion offense was able to catch up in the sixth inning. Adkins touched home on a fielder's choice after he led off the inning with a walk.
After a scoreless seventh, CU took advantage of a bases-loaded opportunity it had missed on earlier in the game in the eighth.
Back-to-back one-out singles from junior infielder
Daniel Layne and Brady put Concord on the brink of a scoring chance. Christian was able to load the bases, drawing a walk, setting the stage for Gragg's moment. The Christiansburg, Virginia native was able to work a 3-2 count before depositing his first career home run down the right field line.
Nicholas (6-5) tossed six innings allowing four hits. He struck out a career-best 10 hitters as he tossed exactly 100 pitches. Half of Nicholas' strikeouts came in the fourth and fifth innings as he struck out the side in the fourth and recorded two more punchouts in the fifth.
Gragg was the only CU player with multiple hits in game two. Senior catcher
Hunter Steel was on bas three times with a hit and two walks.
Concord and Glenville State conclude the weekend series 1:00 p.m. Sunday at Anderson Field.
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