GLENVILLE, W.Va. (Feb. 29) – The Wheeling University baseball team split a pair of games at the MEC/PSAC Challenge Friday and Saturday. The Cardinals were defeated by perennial-power Mercyhurst 10-9, but rebounded to defeat Clarion 10-7 to close out play.
 
THE MATCHUPS

• FRIDAY FINAL: Mercyhurst 10, Wheeling 9
• Location: Frank Loria Field | Nutter Fort, West Virginia
• SATURDAY FINAL: Wheeling 10, Clarion 7
• Location: Sue Morris Sports Complex | Glenville, West Virginia
• Records: Wheeling 4-3 | Mercyhurst 2-2 | Clarion 1-8

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. Mercyhurst

• The Cardinals had 12 hits and held the lead multiple times but lost on a walk-off to the Lakers Friday afternoon.
• The first two batters Wheeling sent to the dish in the first inning singled and sophomore Lucas Rawlins (Pickerington, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) connected on a double to score both to give the Cardinals a two-run lead.
• Wheeling starting pitcher Josh Bell (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area) managed to unscathed through three, but the Lakers managed to plate two in the fourth to tie the game.
• The Cardinals answered right back in the fifth. Wheeling loaded the bases and chased Hurst starting pitcher Michael McDonough. 
• A two-RBI single by Luis Dominguez (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) and a misplayed ball off the bat of Chris Iazzetta (Clinton, N.J./IMG Academy) helped Wheeling take a 5-2 advantage.
• Mercyhurst managed to tie the game back up in the sixth with three runs, but a strike from shortstop Connor Watt (Roanoke, Va./Glenvar) to the plate cut down a Laker trying to score to keep the game tied entering the seventh.
• Mercyhurst eventually took its first lead of the game with a trio of runs in the seventh to go up 8-5.
• The Cardinals took advantage of a wild pitch and a passed ball in the eighth to plate two runs and make the score 8-7.
• The Lakers pushed one across to build their lead back to 9-7 in the bottom of the eighth, leaving Wheeling down to its final three outs.
• Iazzetta led the inning off with a walk and eventually came around to score on an pinch-hit inside-the-park home run by Hayden Hizer (Paden City, W.Va./Paden City) that tied the game at 9-9.
• Mercyhurst loaded the bases with one out in the ninth and got a walk-off single to score the game-winning run.

GAME NOTES

• Bell earned a no-decision on the mound after tossing five innings and yielding two runs on nine hits.
• Rawlins, Iazetta, sophomore Jacob Murray (Beallsville, Ohio/Linsly), and senior Philip Derick (Prattsburgh, N.Y./Prattsburgh Central) each finished with two hits to lead the offense. Derick also scored twice in the loss.
• The 12 hits were the most hits a game since May 6, 2018 when the Cardinals had 12 in an 8-2 loss to West Liberty.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. Clarion

• Wheeling finished with 11 hits and held on late to defeat Clarion 10-7 on Saturday.
• The Cardinals fell behind 1-0 after one inning, but exploded for seven runs on eight hits to take a 7-1 lead in the second inning.
• The first three batters in the inning loaded the bases and the next five all drove in runs.
• Murray, Derick, Watt and junior Jack Skantze (Clearwater, Fla./Countryside) all connected on RBI hits, while Dominguez drove another in with a sacrifice fly.
• Clarion chipped away with runs in the third and fourth innings to make the score 7-4.
• Murray came to the dish with one runner on in the fifth and launched a ball for a two-run home run that made the score 9-4.
• After a few scoreless frames, another RBI base-hit by Skantze made the score 10-4 in the seventh inning.
• Clarion made things interesting with a three-run eighth inning and in the ninth with one out had the game-tying run at the plate.
• Senior pitcher Nick Luciano (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area) came on and managed to strike out the next two batters to secure his second save of the year and the win for Wheeling.

GAME NOTES

• Senior pitcher Tanner Evans (Bergholz, Ohio/Edison Local) improved to 2-1 on the season. Evans worked seven-plus innings and allowed six runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
• Murray was the top hitter for the Cardinals with two hits, including the home run, and three RBIs.
• Skantze added two hits and two RBIs, while Hizer finished with two hits and three runs scored.
• Wheeling stole five bases in the game, which was the most in a single-game since the team swiped six bags in a 6-0 win over West Liberty on May 6, 2018.

UP NEXT

• The Cardinals will travel to North Carolina to take on Mid-Atlantic Christian University for games on Wednesday and Thursday, March 4-5.
• MACU is a first-year program and there will not be any live coverage of either game. Follow the Cardinals on twitter (@WU_Baseball & @WUCardinals) for updates.