CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Behind one of the best pitching performances in program history from sophomore Kaden Varela-Payne, the Concord University baseball team won an elimination game over Wheeling, 8-4, Thursday night at the Mountain East Conference Tournament at GoMart Ballpark.

On a night where Varela-Payne became CU's single-season record holder for strikeouts—surpassing Andrew Neff's 95 strikeouts from the 2023 season—the Raleigh, North Carolina native pitched a complete game with 16 strikeouts as he eclipsed Neff's 13 strikeouts against Bluefield State in 2022 as the single-game mark at Concord (26-26). Varela-Payne's season strikeout total stands at 106 after Thursday.

Wheeling (36-16) got to Varela-Payne early as the Cardinals scored three times in the top of the second inning. However, the Mountain Lions' ace settled in as he ended the third-inning rally with a strike 'em out, throw 'em out at second base as senior catcher Austin Hear had a caught stealing at second base.

The inning-ending double play started a string of Varela-Payne retiring 13 of the next 14 batters. A leadoff triple in the fifth came in to score on a wild pitch, but the damage was minimized as Varela-Payne struck out the side. Beginning with the fifth inning, 10 of the final 15 outs in the game were via the strikeout from Varela-Payne.

Offensively, Concord immediately answered Wheeling's three-run second with five tallies in the bottom of the frame. Three walks to open the inning was followed by a two-run single by senior infielder Tyson Burke. Junior infielder Nick DiSanti came in right behind with a two-run double to push CU in front. Senior outfielder Dawson Gragg capped the rally with a pull side single to right field that scored DiSanti.

Senior outfielder Korbin Bostic had a sacrifice fly in the fourth to plate Burke after his leadoff double to left field.

WU crept within 6-4 in the top of the fifth, but the Mountain Lions answered with two runs in the bottom half. A wild pitch allowed freshman outfielder Jared Lavergne to race home, and Burke continued his impressive night with an RBI single to bring in Hear.

Varela-Payne (8-4) gave up seven hits and four runs. He needed 139 pitches—a season high in pitches for any CU pitcher—to toss the nine-inning complete game. The 16 strikeouts also tie a Division II high for the 2026 season.

Burke was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Hear and Lavergne both scored twice. DiSanti drove in two runs.

The Mountain Lions will not know their next opponent at the MEC Tournament until the completion of the Glenville State-Charleston game at 12:00 p.m. Friday. However, CU does know it will once again have the 7:00 p.m. game at the MEC Tournament Friday.