WHEELING, W.Va. (March 29) – The Wheeling University baseball team rallied for walk off wins in both games against Davis & Elkins to push its win-streak to a program-record seven games Monday in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play.
 
THE MATCHUPS

• GAME 1 FINAL: Wheeling 5, Davis & Elkins 4
• GAME 2 FINAL: Wheeling 5, Davis & Elkins 4
• Location: JB Chambers Complex | Wheeling, West Virginia
• Records: Wheeling 11-4, 7-1 MEC | Davis & Elkins 2-6, 2-6 MEC

HOW IT HAPPENED in Game 1

• The Cardinals got off to a fast start with a trio of runs in the first innings.
• Wheeling added to its lead in the second inning with the second RBI base-hit of the day by centerfielder Jack Skantze (Clearwater, Fla./Countryside) to make the score 4-0.
• Davis & Elkins got one run back in the third inning and looked poised to score more in the sixth.
• The Senators loaded the bases to chase starting pitcher Jared Naida (Cleveland, Ohio/Lakewood), but reliever Jake Rife (Irwin, Pa./Hempfield) came on to get the third out and end the threat.
• D&E managed to score three times in the seventh to tie the game up at 4-4.
• Wheeling loaded the bases on a trio of walks in the bottom of the seventh, before sophomore Jacob Murray (Bealsville, Ohio/Linsly) delivered the walk-off hit with a single to score the game-winning run.

GAME NOTES

• Naida earned a no-decision after tossing 5.2 innings, while allowing one run on three hits. He struck out four.
• Skantze was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, two runs scored, a stolen base and a walk. He scored the game-winning run after drawing a lead-off walk in the seventh.

HOW IT HAPPENED in Game 2

• Davis & Elkins got on the board in the second inning with the help of a dropped fly ball to take a 2-0 lead.
• After getting one run back in the second, Wheeling took a 3-2 lead when junior left fielder Blake Vandiver (Alton, Ill./Roxana) doubled to drive in two runs.
• The Senators rallied in the seventh once again with two runs to put the Cardinals in a 4-3 hole.
• Wheeling put the first two batters on base in the seventh, before a fielder's choice drove in the game-tying run.
• The Cardinals loaded the bases up with one out, when Vandiver scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch to give Wheeling another walk-off win.

GAME NOTES

• Vandiver led the way with a double, three RBIs and the game-winning run scored.
• Skantze and sophomore Riley Cameron (Vass, N.C./Union Pines) each had two hits in the win.
• Junior pitcher Ricky Bones, Jr. (Miami, Fla./Hallandale) got the win on the mound in relief. He came on and stranded two runners on base in the seventh.
• The win sets a new program-record for consecutive wins.

UP NEXT

• The Cardinals will have one of its most challenging stretches of the season later this week when it plays a pair of teams ranked in the most recent National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Atlantic Region Poll.
• Wheeling will travel to Charleston on Friday, April 2 and then play West Virginia State the following day.
• The first-pitch of game one of the doubleheader with Charleston is set for 1 p.m.