Wheeling, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Baseball team (10-15, 6-4) was back at the J.B. Chambers I-470 complex for the first of two Mountain East Conference (MEC) south doubleheaders when they hosted The University of Charleston. Offense was brewing throughout the day, but unfortunately it didn't fall on Wheeling's side as they fell by scores of 9-6 and 13-3 to fall to 6-4 in conference play.

Game One: The University of Charleston 9, Baseball 6

Both offenses came to play in the doubleheader opener with a combined seven runs being scored in the first inning. The Golden Eagles got on the board first, putting up four runs in the top of the first, with the big blow coming via a bases clearing double. However, starter Dominic Parker-McDonald was able to limit the damage and brought his team to the bat racks. Wheeling got off to a similarly hot start when Jack Skantze, Blake Vandiver, and Riley Cameron all reached base to start the game. J.R. Heavilin would bring home the first run of the game with a sac fly and two batters later Chris Iazzetta brought home two more with a two RBI single to make it 4-3.

However, the Cardinals would be stopped there and it would remain a 4-3 game heading into the third. Charleston would get the offense going again with a leadoff solo home run in the inning to extend their lead to 5-3. The Cardinals couldn't answer in their half of the inning and the Golden Eagles made them pay, responding with four more in the fourth to make it a 9-3 game. That would spell the end of the night for starter Dominic Parker-McDonald, who lasted 3.2 giving up nine runs, seven earned, on nine hits while walking two and striking out two.

The Wheeling bullpen would take over from there, and shutout the Golden Eagles over the final 3.1 innings of work. Austin Gussman started things for the relievers and threw 0.2 innings while walking one before giving way to Brian Shaw. Shaw would take over for the next 1.2 innings, and didn't allow a hit while walking one and striking one out. Brendan Moran threw the final inning of the game, not allowing a run and allowing just one baserunner via a walk. While the bullpen was working, the Cardinal hitters were working their way back in the game. Jacob Murray got things started with a solo shot to begin the fourth.

Chris Iazzetta singled and Lucas Rawlins drew a walk before a fielder's choice moved both runners up a base. Anthony May would then drive him in with an RBI groundout that made it a 9-5 game with three innings to play. The Cardinals still trailed by that score when they came to hit in the bottom of the seventh with the score remaining 9-5. Riley Cameron launched a solo home run with two outs to make it a 9-6 game, but that is where things would end and Wheeling took the game one loss 9-6.

Chris Iazzetta led the way in that first game, putting together a 2-3 effort with two RBI in the loss, both coming in the first inning. Four other Cardinals drove in at least one run in the game, including Jacob Murray and Riley Cameron who each lifted solo home runs in the effort. J.R. Heavilin and Anthony May each added RBI to round out the scoring for the Cardinals in the first game.

Game Two: Charleston 13, Wheeling 3

After coming down to the wire in game one, the Cardinals were hoping for a quick start to game two as they looked for the split. Unfortunately, that didn't happen as the Golden Eagles scored 10 first-inning runs to put Wheeling behind 10-0 before they went to the bat racks. The Cardinals got the first two men on base in their half of the inning and had a runner at third with one out after Jack Skantze stole the base. Two batters later, J.R. Heavilin would lift a sacrifice fly to bring home Wheeling's first run of the game and made it a 10-1 game after an inning. Charleston got that run back in the top of the second and that made it an 11-1 game.

The final two runs for Wheeling would come in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jacob Murray would double to start the inning to give the Cardinals a runner in scoring position with no outs. Two batters later, Garth Charlton came to the plate with one out and lifted his third home run or the season, a two-run shot, to make it a 11-3 game. Unfortunately, Charleston would round out the scoring with two more runs over the final three innings and Wheeling fell 13-3 to complete the sweep. They dropped to 6-4 in MEC play and will look to bounce back in the second half of theit weekend doubleheader against the MEC South.

 Leading the way for the Cardinals was Garth Charlton, who went 1-1 with a home run, walk, and two RBI. Jack Skantze was the only Cardinal with multiple hits in the game, going 2-4, and  J.R. Heavilin drove in the final Wheeling run on the sacrifice fly.

The Wheeling Baseball team returns to action on Sunday, April 3rd, when they host West Virginia State in doubleheader action.