ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University baseball team split a doubleheader with Kutztown Saturday afternoon Anderson Field in non-conference, winning 9-1 before falling 9-7 in the nightcap.
Concord is 5-7 after Saturday's results. KU is now 2-3.
Game 1: Concord 9 - Kutztown 1
Concord's offense started the scoring in the first as senior infielder
Matthew DiSanti came home on a Kutztown error. The rally continued with senior infielder
Sam Stowe driving in a pair of runs with a two-RBI single single to right center field. Senior catcher
Austin Hear plated the fourth and final run on with a fielder's choice.
The four-run edge was more than enough for sophomore right handed pitcher
Kaden Varela-Payne who retired the first six batters he face.
The Mountain Lion bats got back to work in the bottom of the second inning. With two runners on, senior catcher
Kaden Swaim launched his first home run of the year to left center field. Sophomore outfielder
Atticus Goodson and DiSanti were hit and walked to set up the Swaim blast.
Kutztown scratched across a run in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 7-1, but Varela-Payne continued his dominant day by retiring 14 of the final 15 batters he faced.
Neither team scored until the bottom of the sixth when Concord tacked on two more runs thanks to a sacrifice fly from senior outfielder
Korbin Bostic and an RBI double from junior utility man
Hunter Sipel.
Varela-Payne (2-1) tossed his first complete game as he struck out nine batters over seven innings. He surrendered three hits and one earned run, throwing 92 pitches.
Swaim powered the offense with his three-run homer in the second inning. Seven other Mountain Lions found a hit in the contest. DiSanti scored twice while Stowe added two RBI.
Game 2: Kutztown 9 - Concord 7
Stowe was part of the early offense in game two as he blasted his second home run of the season to straight away center field in the bottom of the second.
After KU scored a run in the top of third, the Mountain Lions scored twice to retake the lead in the bottom half. M. DiSanti drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Swaim scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
However, the lead was short lived as the Golden Bears scored seven unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings to go up 8-3.
Concord didn't go away though. M. DiSanti ripped a double to right center field with out in the fifth. Swaim followed with his own two-base hit before coming in on a triple by junior infielder
Nick DiSanti to slice the deficit to 8-5. Then, Bostic stepped up to the plate and delivered a two-run shot to left field. CU
Freshman pitcher
Gavin Dow locked down the top of the sixth inning, retiring three straight batters.
In the seventh inning, KU scored once more and the 9-7 lead would hold.
Swaim finished with another great game, going 3-for-3 and driving in a run. M. DiSanti notched hits in both games, extending his hit streak to seven games. N. DiSanti went 2-for-4 in the contest. Bostic recorded his third long ball of the season and Stowe hit his second home run.
Robinson (1-2) was charged the loss as he tossed 2.2 innings. He allowed four runs.
The Mountain Lions host Kutztown for the series decider 12:00 p.m. Sunday at Anderson Field.
