BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan baseball team split with the Alderson Broaddus Battlers Monday, winning 7-2 in the first game and losing 7-0 in the second game. The bats were alive in Game 1 but the Bobcats struggled to get them going in Game 2.
Game 1
Both teams were able to put a runner on in the first inning but couldn’t do anything with them. In the top of the second, the Battlers loaded the bases on Hunter Eplin off of a pair of walks and an error. Eplin got a strikeout to get out of the inning unharmed. In the bottom half of the inning, Dharyl Moon walked and Cole Shearer doubled over the center fielder’s head to set up Eddie Rueda’s two-run single to right to take a 2-0 lead after two innings.
A single and a triple in the right-center gap cut the WVWC lead to 2-1 and then a dribbler to second base knotted the game up at 2-2. The Battlers loaded the bases in the top of the fifth with one out and Eplin was able to escape without any damage once again. The Wesleyan bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth with four runs on four hits.
Ian Donohoe and Sam Ingram singled, followed by Jack Tilton getting hit by a pitch to load the bases. Devin Johnson roped one down the line on the first pitch to bring Donohoe and Ingram home. Julio Aguilar matched Johnson, scoring two down the left field line to make it 6-2 after five. In the bottom of the sixth, Tilton added to the Bobcat lead with a one-run single to right. AB put a runner on in the seventh, doing nothing with it as Eplin finished his second complete-game win of the season.
Chandler Ballenger led the Battler offense with a 3-4 performance at the dish. Stephen Bell and Travis Kalagher had an RBI each as well. Will Knight was handed the loss after five innings of work, giving up six runs (all earned) on seven hits.
Johnson, Rueda and Aguilar all had two RBIs apiece to lead the Bobcats. Tilton also had an RBI. Eplin was efficient once again, pitching a complete-game and picking up the win. Eplin gave up two runs (both earned) on seven hits and striking out nine.
Game 2
Alderson Broaddus got on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first. The Battlers added to their lead in the top of the third when a walk and stolen base set up a one-run double to make it 2-0. WVWC got their first baserunner in the bottom of the third on an error but the inning would be ended on a strikeout.
In the top of the fifth, AB added two more runs to the column on multiple doubles and a single, doubling their score to 4-0 after five innings as the Bobcat bats continued to stay quiet. The Battlers put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth, plating three runs with two outs to make it 7-0. The Bobcats broke up the perfect game in the bottom of the seventh with Johnson’s single between the third baseman and shortstop. AB wouldn’t let this phase them, closing WVWC out and securing the win.
Stephen Bell was the leader on offense for the Battlers, going 2-3 with three RBIs. Chandler Ballenger added two RBIs as well. Cade Van Ness was flawless for the Battlers, going the full seven innings and only allowing one hit with eight strikeouts.
Johnson had the lone hit for the Bobcats. Eli Brogan took the loss after 4 2/3 innings pitch, surrendering four runs (three earned) on five hits and walking three with four strikeouts. Anthony Hernandez, Brad Miller and Alex Sutton all pitched in relief.
Up Next For The Bobcats
Wesleyan will host Notre Dame College Tuesday for a doubleheader at 1 & 3:30 p.m.
