Morgantown, W. Va. – After delaying the final two games of the series due to rain, the Wheeling University Baseball team (13-23, 9-11) wrapped up their four-game series against Frostburg State on Wednesday afternoon. It was a neutral site game at Monongalia County Ballpark as the Cardinals ended up splitting the day. The Bobcats got the better of them in game one before Wheeling came back to take game two 4-2.
Game One: Frostburg State 7, Wheeling 0
In the first game of the day, Wheeling went with starting pitcher
Logan Pillars to get the ball rolling. However, things didn't go as planned as a grand slam got things started and Frostburg State took a 4-0 lead. After that first inning, Pillars began to settle down and kept the game manageable at a four-run deficit. Pillars ended up going 3.0 innings allowing those four runs on five hits while walking four and striking out four.
Dan Matos came in for relief and added a scoreless fourth to keep it a 4-0 affair. However, the Wheeling offense couldn't get going against a tough Bobcat pitching staff and remained behind by four runs.
They threatened in the bottom of the first when
J.R. Heavilin reached on a two-out double but they couldn't bring him around.
The Cardinals would get a runner in scoring position in both the third and fourth innings as well, but both times their run scoring opportunities were shut down. With Wheeling not adding on, Frostburg State took advantage in the top of the fifth adding on seven more runs to make it a 7-0 game and put things pretty much out of reach. Wheeling got a runner to scoring position in each of the last three innings, including leadoff double from Heavilin and.
Anthony May in the fifth and sixth as they tried to battle back. However, they just couldn't find a way to get on the scoreboard as they fell 7-0 to drop to 0-3 in the series so far. The Cardinals had five hits in the game and looked to bounce back in the second game of the day.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was
J.R. Heavilin, who went 2-3 with a pair of doubles and recorded the lone multi-hit game for the Cardinals.
Garth Charlton,
Anthony May, and
Chris Iazzetta each added hits in the loss to round out Wheeling's offensive attack. The Cardinals looked to salvage a game of the four-game set when they returned to play in game two to wrap up the series.
Game Two: Wheeling 4, Frostburg State 2
After the Bobcats were the ones to jump out early in game two, it was Wheeling's turn to jump ahead in game one. After two quick outs to start their half of the first,
J.R. Heavilin drew a two out walk to get things started.
Garth Charlton would then draw a two out walk to put two on before
Jacob Murray lined a single to right scoring Heavilin and making it a 1-0 Wheeling advantage. With that 1-0 lead still in tact in the second, the Cardinals added on. The first three men of the inning reached on a pair of singles and a walk before
Kobe Hill drew a walk to bring home a run and make it 2-0 Cardinals. Heavilin followed up getting hit by a pitch and another run came home to make it a 3-0 advantage. Frostburg State would limit the damage, but Wheeling still led by three after two innings.
Hayden Scudder got the start for Wheeling in what was a combined effort for the Cardinals pitching staff. Scudder started and went 2.0 scoreless innings to kick things off, allowing three hits and a strikeout in what was another clean outing for the lefty. He then gave way to
Dominic Parker-McDonald, who also threw 2.0 innings in the game and was charged with a run, allowing a solo shot in the top of the fourth. That's as the only hit he allowed and one of only two base runners he allowed as he shut things down and kept Wheeling ahead 3-1.
Jake Rife was up next, entering the game in the top of the fifth, and he suffered the same fate as Parker-McDonald allowing a solo home run that made it a 3-2 game. Wheeling would answer with an all-important insurance run in the bottom of the fifth to maintain a two-run advantage.
After a quick out to start the inning,
Jacob Murray and Spenser Craig hit back-to-back singles that put runners at the corners with one out.
Chris Iazzetta hit a hard line drive out for the second out of the inning bringing
Lucas Rawlins to the plate. Rawlins rocketed one to first that went off the first baseman's diving outstretched glove and brought home Murray to make it a 4-2 game. However, it was not going to be a comfortable lead as Frostburg State nearly came back the next inning. With two outs and a runner on, Rife hit a batter and walked the next guy to load the bases with two outs. With the tying run in scoring position, Rife had to face Danny Estrada with two outs. He got him to hit one on the ground to second base and retired the side unscathed.
It finished off Rife's two innings of work on a high note as he finished allowing just the one run on two hits while walking two and striking out two. Wheeling couldn't add on in their half of the sixth and it brought in
Kyle Dalton for the save opportunity heading to the top of the seventh. After a leadoff single started things off, Dalton would face Frostburg slugger Bryce Jackson representing the tying run. Dalton won the battle as he got him to ground into a 3-6 double play for the first two outs of the inning. He induced one more ground ball and that would end the game and give Wheeling the 4-2 victory. For Dalton, he threw a scoreless inning of work allowing one hit in route to picking up the first save of his collegiate career. It helped Wheeling end the series 1-3 against the Bobcats and gives them momentum heading into a big series with Notre Dame this weekend.
Jacob Murray led the Cardinals in game two with a pair of hits, an RBI, and a run scored to lead the effort.
Lucas Rawlins came through with the big knock in the bottom of the fifth and finished his day an impressive 1-2 with an RBI, a walk, and a run scored. The other two RBI of the day came courtesy of
Kobe Hill and
J.R. Heavilin as they came in on a walk and a hit by pitch. It was a big win for Wheeling down the stretch and they look to use that momentum moving forward.
The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Saturday, April 23rd, when they hit the road for a doubleheader against Notre Dame College at 1 PM.
