NUTTER FORT, W.Va. (Feb. 28) - The Wheeling Jesuit University baseball team was unable to overcome an early deficit in its 8-2 non-conference loss at Salem Thursday afternoon at Frank Loria Park.

The Cardinals fall to 0-3 overall, while the Tigers improve to 6-7 early in the season.

Salem touched up WJU for runs in each of the first four innings of the game, including three in the first, to take a 7-0 lead. The Tigers added another in the sixth inning to up their advantage to 8-0.

The Cardinals got on the board in the eighth when third baseman Jacob Murray (Beallsville, Ohio/Linsly) and first baseman Dom Davis (McKees Rocks, Pa./OLSH) led the inning off with back-to-back singles and were driven in on a base-hit by designated hitter Adam Dennison (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) to make the score 8-2.

Wheeling Jesuit was retired in order in the ninth inning to clinch the victory for the Tigers.

Dennison led the team with two hits and two RBI, while Murray also chipped in two hits in the loss.

Freshman pitcher Zach Rohaley (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan) was saddled with the loss. Rohaley (0-2) allowed seven earned on 10 hits with one strikeout over 3.2 innings of work.

The Cardinals will travel to Kissimmee, Florida next week for the RussMatt Invitational and open play on Monday, March 4 against Gannon at Osceola Heritage Park #2 at 9:30 a.m.