WHEELING, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team lost two games to Wheeling, 6-5 and 4-3, in Mountain East Conference action at the JB Chambers Complex Friday afternoon.
Game 1: Wheeling 6 – Concord 5
The Mountain Lions (10-12, 2-6 MEC) took a seventh-inning lead on WU (15-9, 5-5 MEC) only to see Wheeling score two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Trailing 4-1 entering the top of the seventh, Concord loaded the bases with no outs to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. A sacrifice fly by junior utility
MJ Hunter scored junior outfielder
Austin Amtower. Now with runners on second and third, senior infielder
Daniel Layne's third hit of the game tied the contest as junior infielder
Brendan Brady and freshman outfielder
Demario Faison both touched home.
Later in the inning with the bases reloaded, senior infielder
Chris Satcher drew a two-out walk to bring in Layne, the go-ahead run.
The first three Wheeling batters reached to start the bottom of the seventh as the Cardinals tied the game. A pinch-hit single two batters later pushed the sixth and decisive run across the plate.
Wheeling scored the game's first run with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the first. The Mountain Lions were quick to answer as Satcher hit his third home of the season in the top of the second.
Layne was the only CU batter with multiple hits as he finished 3-for-4 with two RBI. Satcher reached base twice and recorded two RBI. Sophomore utility
Dawson Gragg drew two walks.
Graduate pitcher
Andrew Neff (3-3) went five innings as he allowed four earned runs on seven hits. He struck out four.
Game 2: Wheeling 4 – Concord 3
A back-and-forth game saw Wheeling score the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Just like game one, the Cardinals plated a run in the bottom of the first, but CU had a response in the top of the second. A two-out single from freshman catcher
Marshall Basham plated Satcher after he led off the frame by being hit with a pitch.
Another two-out hit, this time a double down the left field line from fifth-year senior infielder
Michael Dupont, brought in Hunter in the top of the third to give CU a 2-1 edge.
But, the next two runs belonged to Wheeling as it tallied twice in the bottom of the fourth. However, the Mountain Lions came right back as Satcher doubled to left field, scoring Hunter in the top of the fifth.
A two-out triple and a subsequent wild pitch allowed WU to regain a 4-3 advantage in the bottom of the fifth.
Concord pushed the tying run into scoring position in the top of the sixth inning, but was unable to piece together a rally in the top of the seventh.
Basham was a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI. Hunter ended the game 2-of-4 with two runs scored.
The Maroon and Gray outhit Wheeling 10-8 in the contest.
Graduate pitcher
Eddie Blake (2-3) tossed six innings as he allowed four earned runs and recorded six strikeouts.
Â
