WHEELING, W.Va. – For the second consecutive day, the Wheeling Jesuit baseball team split its Mountain East Conference doubleheader. The Cardinals dropped a 2-1 decision to the Bobcats of West Virginia Wesleyan in game one before outlasting the Bobcats, 7-6, in game two.
Joe San Felippo gave the Cardinals all he could in game one. The junior tossed a complete game four-hitter in which we allowed only one earned run. San Felippo sat down seven opponents on strikes.
Benjamin Standiford was credited with the victory in game two. Standiford tallied the first six innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out three Bobcats.
Senior Justin Fritts, who joins the Cardinals after being a member of the nationally ranked men's basketball team, picked up a three-inning save for WJU in game two. In his first appearance of the season, Fritts struck out three hitters and allowed just two hits.
Game 1:
The Cardinals scored their lone run in the first inning. San Felippo doubled to right centerfield before Dillon Sunnafrank drove him in. Sunnafrank singled to left and the Cardinals took an early 1-0 advantage.
West Virginia Wesleyan scored once in the fifth and again in the seventh to defeat WJU, 2-1.
Sunnafrank went two of three at the plate in the first contest. Tony Connacher and Christopher Brake each tallied a single in the Cardinals loss, while Brock McGivern and San Felippo added a double apiece.
Game 2:
Wesleyan struck first and led 1-0 after the top half of the first inning, but WJU would answer. Connacher and McGivern recorded back-to-back singles to begin their first at bat. San Felippo brought home Connacher with a base hit, tying the game at one apiece.
The first two Cardinals were sat down to begin the second inning, but Connacher started another rally. After being hit by a pitch, Connacher advanced to second on a McGivern single. San Felippo walked, and Sunnafrank recorded a two-RBI single, and WJU led, 3-1.
The Cardinals next scored in the fifth inning, where they hung a three spot on the Bobcats. John Staab singled to left and Jagger Bruck singled up the middle. Adam Dennison recorded WJU's third consecutive single, bringing home Staab. Connacher reached on an error and brought home Bruck. Dennison scored on a bunt single by McGivern, and WJU held a 6-3 advantage.
Bruck drove in Brake in the sixth inning to give WJU an insurance run, as the Cardinals led 7-4. Fritts would complete the nine-out save, and WJU took game from West Virginia Wesleyan, 7-6.
McGivern led the Cardinals at the plate, going 4-4 in game two. He scored and drove in one run for WJU. Bruck finished 3-4 at the plate, including one run batted in. San Felippo and Dennison each finished with two hits. Sunnafrank drove in a team-high two runs in WJU's victory, while five other Cardinals each brought home one run.
