KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 8) – The Wheeling Jesuit University baseball team recently completed its week long spring trip to the RussMatt Invitational in Florida.

The Cardinals went 1-5 in the sunshine state and move to 1-9 overall this season. The team is currently slated to open Mountain East Conference (MEC) play on Saturday, March 16 when they host Concord at the JB Chambers Complex for a doubleheader at 1 p.m.

MONDAY, MARCH 4

GAME ONE: Gannon 6, Wheeling Jesuit 1 | BOX SCORE

Gannon scored first off an RBI double to go up 1-0 in the second inning. The Golden Kinghtswere then held scoreless until the fifth when a ground ball with the bases loaded resulted in a 6-4-3 double play that allowed the runner on third to reach home. Gannon picked up three more runs in the top of the sixth to go ahead 6-0. 

Freshman third baseman Jacob Murray (Beallsville, Ohio/Linsly) belted a double to center field in the bottom of the sixth to advance the sole baserunner from first to third. Sophomore first baseman Dom Davis (McKeesRocks, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) singled through the left side of the infield to score Nick Serafino (Pittsburgh, Pa./Canon-McMillan) from third.

Freshman pitcher Caden Carpenter (Sissonville, W.Va./Sissonville) took the mound in the top of the seventh and retired the side in order, including a strikeout, to keep the game at 6-1. The Cardinals loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't bring anyone home.

Davis went two-for-three with a RBI in the loss. Junior Josh Bell (Apollo, Pa./KiskiArea) got the start and only allowed three hits in five innings pitched.

GAME TWO: Gannon 6, Wheeling Jesuit 0 | BOX SCORE

Gannon's starting pitcher Deven Judy threw a complete game in the second contest of the series, striking out 11 and giving up just three hits. The Golden Knights scored twice in the third inning, three times in the fourth and once in the fifth to register six runs against the Cardinals.

Freshman DH Lucas Rawlins (Pickerington, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) recorded the lone extra base hit for Wheeling Jesuit with a double to left field in the top of the fifth. Freshman Anthony Longo (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) came into the game to relieve Doug Clark (Glen Dale, W.Va./Bishop Donahue) and only gave up one hit after the first batter he faced homered off him.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 5) – The Wheeling Jesuit University baseball team won one of two games against Mary (N.D.) at the RussMatt Invitational on Tuesday. The Cardinals picked up their first win of the season, 4-0, in the opening game of the doubleheader, before they were defeated 7-2 by the Marauders in the second.

Wheeling Jesuit moves to 1-6 overall while Mary slides to 2-4 on the season after the results of the series.

GAME ONE: Wheeling Jesuit 4, University of Mary 0 | BOX SCORE

Freshman Zach Rohaley (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan) pitched a complete game shutout to record the first win of his collegiate career. He struck out eight and allowed just five hits in his seven innings pitched.

The Cardinals didn't take long to get on the scoreboard, driving in two runs in the bottom of the first. With baserunners on second and third, junior outfielder Zach Blumling (Granville, Ohio/Granville) ripped a base-clearing single with two outs.

A fielder's choice in the bottom of the second allowed sophomore second baseman Brad Trescott (Rootstown, Ohio/Rootstown) to get across the plate from third, putting Wheeling Jesuit up 3-0. Freshman first baseman Lucas Rawlins (Pickerington, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) scored off an outfield error in the third inning to give the game its final score of 4-0.

Trescott went two-for-three and scored a run in the win. The Cardinals came up with eight hits and forced three pitching changes by the end of the contest.

GAME TWO: University of Mary 7, Wheeling Jesuit 2 | BOX SCORE

Mary opened up the scoring in the bottom of the second by stealing home. A RBI-single in the next at bat put the Marauders up 2-0. Mary put two more runs on the scoreboard in the third inning when a single allowed runners to score from second and third base.

Wheeling Jesuit scored its two runs in the top of the fourth. Freshman Jacob Murray (Beallsville, Ohio/Linsly) and sophomore Dom Davis (McKees Rocks, Pa./OLSH) singled to start off the inning. Blumling then drew a walk to load the bases for Rawlins. He stepped up to the plate and ripped a double to score Davis and Murray.

The Marauders added three runs in the fifth inning to bring the game to its final score, 7-2.

Davis went two-for-two, drew a walk and scored a run in the loss.

Mary's Ian Fisher earned the win, allowing one hit in his four innings pitched.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 6) – The Wheeling Jesuit University baseball team dropped both of its games against West Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday. The Cardinals were clipped 5-3 in the first contest of the doubleheader, then dealt a 6-1 loss in the second.

Wheeling Jesuit fell to 1-8 overall with the pair of losses, while the Bobcats climbed to 5-7 on the season with the couple of wins.

GAME ONE: West Virginia Wesleyan 5, Wheeling Jesuit 3 | BOX SCORE

Both teams were kept off the scoreboard until the fourth inning. WVWC picked up two runs in the top of the fourth by scoring on a passed ball and a RBI-single.

Rawlins singled to left field in the bottom of the fourth to score Murray from second base and bring WJU back to within one run, 2-1.

The Cardinals picked up two runs in the bottom of the sixth to go ahead 3-2. Murray drilled a double to right-center field with one out. Davis then reached base on an error with Murray advancing to third. Murray got across home plate in the next at bat when Blumling grounded out to short. Sophomore second baseman Hayden Hizer (Paden City, W.Va/Paden City) batted in the go-ahead run with a single into right field.

West Virginia Wesleyan took the lead back in the top of the seventh by scoring three runs. Wheeling Jesuit was unable to find an answer in the final half inning.

Murray had a banner performance, going three-for-three at the plate and scoring two runs. Junior pitcher Tanner Evans (Bergholz, Ohio/Edison Local) had a solid outing despite taking the loss. He pitched 6.1 innings, struck out seven batters, gave up three hits and allowed one earned run.

Wesleyan's Griffin Roe was awarded the win for his 1.1 innings of relief that kept the Cardinals from coming back.

GAME TWO: West Virginia Wesleyan 6, Wheeling Jesuit 1 | BOX SCORE

West Virginia Wesleyan's three-run third inning was too much to overcome for the Cardinals in the second contest of the series. The Bobcats scored once in the second inning and twice in the fifth inning to get to six runs for the game.

Wheeling Jesuit was able to load the bases with one out in the top of the fifth. A passed ball allowed Adam Dennison (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) to score from third, but two baserunners were left stranded after a strikeout and a fly out.

Davis went three-for-four with two doubles in the loss.

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

Winona State 3, Wheeling Jesuit 2 | BOX SCORE

LEESBURG, Fla. (March 8) – The Wheeling Jesuit University baseball team narrowly lost to Winona State, 3-2, on Friday morning.

The Cardinals drop to 1-9 on the season with the loss while the Warriors improve to 5-2 overall with the win.

Winona State scored first in the bottom of the third with a RBI-single up the middle.

Wheeling Jesuit went up 2-1 in the top of the fourth inning when Hizer crushed a homerun to right field with a man on base.

The Warriors answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 2-2. A scoreless seventh inning pushed the contest into extra innings.

WSU was able to pick up the game-winning run on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the eighth and closed out the game by keeping WJU at bay in the top of the ninth.

Murray and freshman shortstop Ryan Lynn (Butler, Pa./Butler Area) both had multi-hit performances.