FLORENCE, Ky. – The West Virginia Wesleyan College baseball team opened the 2026 season with a three-game nonconference series at Thomas More on Feb. 20-21. The Bobcats dropped both ends of Friday’s doubleheader before falling 5-2 in Saturday’s finale.
Game One – Thomas More 5, WVWC 3
Thomas More capitalized on early opportunities, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take control of the opener.
The Saints plated three runs on a two-out single that was compounded by a Wesleyan fielding error, then added another RBI knock to stretch the lead to 4-0.
The Bobcats responded in the third inning when Drew Jrolf drew a bases-loaded walk to score Ethan Fraley, trimming the deficit to 4-1. Wesleyan continued to apply pressure late. In the sixth, Jrolf reached on a bunt single and later scored on an RBI walk from Jamison Smith.
In the seventh, Grant Shumaker was hit by a pitch to start the rally before Matt Neach delivered a ground-rule double. Micahel Marley followed with a sacrifice fly to cut the margin to 5-3. Wesleyan brought the tying run to the plate, but Thomas More closed the door.
Game One Highlights
Marley: 2-for-3, double, RBI
Issac Lough: double, stolen base
Jrolf: RBI, two walks
Andrew Napoleon: 2.0 scoreless innings in relief
Game Two – Thomas More 17, WVWC 6
The Bobcats’ bats came alive in the nightcap with 16 hits, but Thomas More used a pair of explosive innings to secure a 17-6 win.
After the Saints built a 5-0 lead through two innings, Wesleyan answered in the fourth. Malik Wood delivered an RBI double and Coleman Cross added a run-scoring single to make it 5-2.
Thomas More responded with a seven-run fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run home run from J. Geers and a two-RBI triple from S. O’Donnell. The Saints added four more in the fifth and a solo homer in the sixth to extend their advantage.
Wesleyan continued to compete offensively. Alex Smith blasted a solo home run in the fifth, and the Bobcats mounted a three-run rally in the eighth. Lough drove in two with a double, and Jrolf followed with a sacrifice fly to account for the final margin.
Game Two Highlights
Cross: 3-for-5, RBI
Lough: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, double, stolen base
Wood: 2-for-5, double, RBI
Smith: home run
Game Three – Thomas More 5, WVWC 2
Saturday’s finale featured a strong pitching effort from Anthony Hernandez who worked 6.2 innings and allowed three earned runs while scattering eight hits.
Thomas More scored twice in the first inning and added another in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
Wesleyan broke through in the fifth when Wood doubled home Collins to make it 3-1. In the eighth, consecutive singles from Cross and Shumaker set the table before Lough lifted a sacrifice fly to bring the Bobcats within one at 3-2.
The Saints answered in the bottom half of the eighth with two insurance runs, securing the series sweep.
Game Three Highlights
Shumaker: 2-for-4
Wood: 2-for-3, double, RBI
Lough: 2-for-2, RBI, stolen base
Hernandez: 6.2 IP, 3 ER
Series Notes
Wesleyan recorded 29 hits across the final two games.
Wood produced multiple extra-base hits during the weekend.
Lough collected five hits in Games Two and Three combined.
The Bobcats showed patience at the plate, drawing nine walks in Game One.
Wesleyan heads out for Spring Break action beginning Friday, Feb. 27 when the team plays Clarion University in Wilson, N.C.
