BUCKHANNON — A dramatic six-run eighth inning propelled Concord University past West Virginia Wesleyan, 8–2, in their series opener at Hank Ellis Field. In a game largely defined by early pitching duels and missed opportunities, the Mountain Lions erupted late to claim the game one win.
Locked in a 2–2 tie heading into the eighth, Concord sent nine men to the plate and tallied six runs on six hits, capitalizing on a Wesleyan error and key hits from the middle of the order. D.J. Christian Jr. started the onslaught with a go-ahead RBI single, and from there, the floodgates opened. Matthew DiSanti added an RBI single, later scoring on a defensive miscue, and consecutive RBI doubles from Kaden Swaim, Korbin Bostic, and Alex Rodriguez broke the game wide open.
Logan Darrow was on the mound for Concord, tossing eight innings of two-run ball, scattering nine hits and striking out six without issuing a wild pitch or walk. He neutralized several Wesleyan scoring chances with timely outs and ground balls, allowing his offense time to break through.
On the other side, Hunter Eplin suffered the loss for the Bobcats despite allowing only two runs through seven frames. His line was skewed by the eighth-inning collapse, as he was charged with eight runs (four earned) across 7.2 innings.
Defensively, however, the Bobcats faltered, committing three errors that led to five unearned runs. The eighth inning was especially damaging, with a throwing error by the catcher allowing an extra run and setting up Concord’s surge.
The Bobcats bounced back in game two with a disciplined and timely performance, defeating Concord University 4–1 to split Saturday’s doubleheader at Hank Ellis Field.
Alex Hernandez was in command from the opening pitch, tossing a complete-game gem. Over seven innings, he allowed just four hits and one run while striking out two and walking two. He kept Concord hitters off-balance, recording 11 flyouts and seven groundouts while throwing just 66 pitches.
His counterpart, Zach Powell, turned in a respectable performance for Concord, giving up four runs (three earned) across six innings while striking out seven. However, Powell could not escape damage in the second inning, which proved decisive.
All of the Bobcats’ offense came in a big second inning. It began with a double from catcher Thatcher Poteat, followed by an RBI single from Kohei Fujishita to plate the game’s first run. A string of smart base running and defensive miscues added to the rally: Josh Ayala followed with a single and Burner drove in a run on a fielder’s choice and later scored on a throwing error. Jack Tilton capped the scoring with an RBI single to left, making it 4–1.
Wesleyan’s aggressive approach on the basepaths paid off, with three stolen bases in the contest by Shumaker, Ayala, and Burner, keeping pressure on the Concord defense.
Concord struck first with a solo home run from Demetri Jamison in the top of the second, his second big hit of the day after a productive first game. But that was the lone bright spot for the Mountain Lions’ offense, which was shut out the rest of the way.
Late efforts in the seventh showed a flicker of life. A pinch-hit double by Tyson Burke and a walk by MJ Hunter put two runners in scoring position, but Hernandez slammed the door to preserve the win.
