BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan baseball team fell to Concord on Friday evening in a doubleheader at Hank Ellis Field. In the first game, Concord racked up 12 runs on 15 hits to win 12-6 and took game two 6-3 thanks to a huge grand slam.
Game 1
Concord opened the game up with a single through the left side of the infield and a near double play that turned into an RBI double over the second baseman’s head. Concord plated another run on a wild pitch, leading 2-0 after a half an inning.
The Mountain Lions were able to piece together six runs on two out offense in the top of the second, singling to right to score one and then singling to right once again to plate two more. Following the barrage of singles, Concord topped their scoring off with a 3-run home run to left-center. The Bobcat bats came alive in the bottom of the second, starting off with Sam Ingram hitting a one-run single to score Wesleyan’s first run of the game and Jack Tilton found the left-center gap to score Ingram and Eddie Rueda as the Bobcats trailed 8-3 after two innings.
Luke Burner and Eddie Rueda led the bottom half of the third with singles and Preston Todd bunted them over to scoring position. Ingram dribbled one in the infield to score one and Tilton ripped a liner down the first base line to score Burner, trimming the Concord lead to just 8-5.
Concord built their lead back up in the top of the fifth, plating a run on a double and scoring two more on a single to make it 11-5. Burner had a no-doubt solo shot in the bottom of the fifth to trim the lead to five. In the top of the seventh, a single and a pair of defensive mistakes by the Bobcat defense allowed Concord to score their 12th run of the game. The Bobcats had back-to-back two out singles in the bottom of the seventh but the game was ended on a strikeout with Concord winning 12-6.
Josh Adkins dominated all game, going 4-4 with five RBIs to lead the Mountain Lions. Chris Satcher’s three-run home run was key in Concord’s win. Andrew Neff pitched six innings, taking the win after giving up six runs (all earned) on nine hits and walking one. He also struck out seven.
Four Bobcats finished with two hits and Jack Tilton led the Bobcats knocking in three runs. Ingram added two runs batted in. AJ Ventry took the loss after 4 1/3 innings of work and the bullpen pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief, only allowing a run (unearned) on two hits.
Game 2
A two out double over the left fielder’s head plated the first run of the game for the Mountain Lions in the top of the first A baserunning mishap by Concord almost ended the inning but an errant throw over the catcher’s head allowed another run. Ingram started the bottom of the first with a rocket over to the shortstop and then stole second.Tilton walked and Devin Johnson was plunked to load the bases. Cole Shearer capitalized on the opportunity, ripping a single through the middle to plate two. The Bobcats had runners on second and third with a chance to add more but a flyout closed the inning.
The Mountain Lions used an error, walk and a single to right to load the bases with one out in the top of the third inning, setting up Concord’s Hunter Steel for a grand slam.
After starting the bottom of the sixth with two outs, Rueda singled and moved to third on a failed throw over to first, eventually scoring on a Burner double to deep center as the Bobcats would trail 6-3 after six innings. In the bottom of the seventh, the Bobcats showed life with the tying run at the plate but a groundout to second closed the night out.
Steel’s grand slam led the team as he finished with four runs knocked in while Mike Dupont and DJ Christian both gathered two hits and knocked in one run apiece. Rylee Nicholas pitched six innings to earn his sixth win of the year, allowing one run (unearned) on three hits and one walk while striking out eight.
Shearer finished with 2 runs knocked in and Burner added the other RBI. Ingram was 2-4 at the plate as the leadoff man. Drew Evans was given the loss after four innings, surrendering six runs (four earned) on eight hits and walking four. Anthony Hernandez pitched three solid innings of relief, giving up no hits and striking out five.
