Wheeling, W. Va. – After having their game postponed on Tuesday, the Wheeling University Baseball team (12-20, 8-8) took on Clarion at the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex on Wednesday. Both teams brought the lumber, but in the end it was the Golden Eagles who came out on top 12-9. The Cardinals outhit the Golden Eagles 12-11 in the game, but fell short on the scoreboard.

Both offenses got going right away in the first inning as Clarion started things with two runs in the top of the first. The Cardinals then came to the plate in the bottom of the inning and responded following a one-out single from Blake Vandiver. That brought Riley Cameron to the plate, who lifted a two-run home run to left center that tied the game at 2-2. J.R. Heavilin followed that up with a double l, but was stranded in scoring position to end the inning. Clarion would respond with three runs in the top of the second and Wheeling would be playing from behind for the second time in the game. Three more runs scored in the Clarion half of the third and Wheeling found themselves trailing 8-2 in the bott of the third.

However, the Cardinals bats would battle back into the game when Vandiver singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a throwing error. That set up Cameron again with a runner in scoring position and he came through with an RBI single to make it an 8-3 game. Two batters later, Jacob Murray reached on an error and Lucas Rawlins picked up the man in scoring position with an RBI single to cut the Clarion lead to 8-4. The Cardinals would add two more on back-to-back singles from Connor Watt and Kobe Hill before Jack Skantze lifted a sacrifice fly to make it an 8-7 game. However, the inning would end on a caught stealing at third and after three it sat at a one-run game.

After that, pitching took over as it remained an 8-7 game for the next four innings with each team throwing up four zeroes. For Clarion, they made a call to the pen in the bottom of the third and had a great outing to pick up the win. On the Cardinals' side, their big call to the pen came when Dan Matos entered the game. Matos threw 3.2 innings of work while giving up a run on three hits while walking one and striking out one. Connor Pinsker relieved Matos and kept the success going with a scoreless inning. In total, Wheeling needed six relievers to get through the game and four of those pitchers allowed one earned run or less in the game.

In the eighth inning, the Golden Eagles bats were back on it as they scored four runs and turned a one-run game into a 12-7 affair. When it was Wheeling's turn, their bats would get going again as Chris Iazzetta walked to start the inning and Donovan Dubbuison moved him to second with a groundout. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Nathaniel Flores and he brought a run home with an RBI Fielder's Choice to make it a 12-8 game. A wild pitch would bring home another run for Wheeling and after eight it was a 12-9 game. Neither team scored in the ninth and the game came to an end with the final score of 12-9.

Riley Cameron led the Cardinals offense reaching base in all three plate appearances going 2-2 with a home run, walk, and three RBI. Kobe Hill had a three hit day, going 3-5 with an RBI, while Blake Vandiver finished 3-3 as he was able to get on base. Lucas Rawlins, Connor Watt, and Jack Skantze drove in the other runs for the Cardinals as they dropped the no -conference affair. They return to MEC play this weekend and hope they can get back on track.

The Wheeling University Baseball team is back in action on Friday, April 15th, when they host Frostburg State for the first two of a four game series beginning at 1 PM.