NUTTER FORT, W.Va. (Feb. 10) – The Wheeling University baseball team kicked off the 2020 season with a two-game sweep of Salem University in a non-conference twinbill at Frank Loria Memorial Field Sunday evening.
 
THE MATCHUP

• Game 1: Wheeling 7, Salem 0 (F/7)
• Game 2: Wheeling 2, Salem 1 (F/7)
• Records: Wheeling 2-0 | Salem 0-2
• Location: Frank Loria Memorial Field | Nutter Fort, West Virginia

GAME 1: Wheeling 7, Salem 0
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cardinals got off to a fast start when junior shortstop Connor Watt (Roanoke, Va./Glenvar) led the game and season off with a solo home run over the left field fence.
• Wheeling added to its lead with a pair of two-out RBIs in the second inning. Sophomore catcher Garth Charlton (Cambridge, Ohio/Cambridge) and junior center fielder Jack Skantze (Clearwater, Fla./Countryside) both came through with run-scoring singles to extend the lead to 3-0.
• The run support was more than enough for senior pitcher Josh Bell (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area).
• Bell went relatively unscathed, but ran into trouble in the fourth when the Tigers loaded the bases with two outs. The right-hander recovered and got a strikeout looking to end the threat.
• Wheeling tacked on four more runs in the sixth to put the game away.

GAME NOTES

• Bell (1-0) earned the win on the bump after tossing five scoreless innings. He yielded only one hit and struck out four.
• Watt led the team at the plate with the home run and two RBIs.
• Charlton, sophomore first baseman Lucas Rawlins (Pickerington, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) and junior left fielder Blake Vandiver (Alton, Ill./Roxana) all finished with two hits, apiece.

 
GAME 2: Wheeling 2, Salem 1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cardinals did not hit the ball as well in game two, but managed to pull out a 2-1 win to complete the series sweep.
• Junior catcher Logan Pillars (Rock Falls, Ill./Rock Falls) got Wheeling on the board in the second inning with an RBI-single that plated junior right fielder Chris Iazzetta (Clinton, N.J./IMG Academy) for an early lead.
• The Cardinals took advantage of a two-out error in the third inning to increase their lead to 2-0, but were retired in order in each of the final four innings.
• Fortunately, the Wheeling arms held the Tigers offense in check.
• Salem was limited to a seventh inning run on a sacrifice fly and only three hits in the game to allow the Cardinals to collect the win. 

GAME NOTES

• Senior pitcher Tanner Evans (Bergholz, Ohio/Edison Local) was dominant in relief. He allowed one run on one hit with six strikeouts over the final four innings to secure the win on the mound.
• Junior pitcher Jake Rife (Irwin, Pa./Hempfield) got the start and struck out a pair of Tigers. He only allowed two hits over 2.1 innings of scoreless ball.

UP NEXT

• The Cardinals have over a week off, before they make the trip to Washington, Pennsylvania on Saturday, February 22 to take on California University of Pennsylvania at Wild Things Park.
• The two squads are slated to play three games over two days, with the first-pitch on Saturday scheduled for 12 p.m.