Institute, W. Va. – After starting the weekend with a pair of close games against the University of Charleston on Saturday, the Wheeling University Baseball team (9-8, 0-4) looked to continue that success on Monday in Institute, West Virginia. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, things didn't go there was as they fell in doubleheader action to West Virginia State. The Cardinals dropped game one in an extra inning affair 4-3 and came back to fall 11-1 in the second game of the day as they drop to 0-4 to start Mountain East Conference (MEC) play.

Game One: West Virginia State 4, Wheeling 3

The first game of the day saw the Cardinals build off their momentum from Saturday with a fast start out of the gates. Kobe Hill would single to start the inning and a Christian Boyles double quickly moved runners to second and third with no outs. Scott Kondroik would walk to load the bases but, with two outs on the board, the bases remained loaded with the Cardinals looking for a big two out hit. They would get it from Thomas Kegerreis, who poked a single through the left side to score the first two runners and give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead. Braden Killens followed with a single of his own and Wheeling was staked to a 3-0 lead after half an inning of play.

Kenny Jinks got the start for the Cardinals and was perfect over the game's first three innings. He has his strikeout pitch working early, setting down five of the first nine batters he faced on strikes. His strongest inning came in the bottom of the second when he struck out the side in order and after three innings the Cardinals were still staked to their 3-0 lead. After West Virginia State starter Chase Norris  was chased after just an inning and two thirds, the Yellow Jackets bullpen was called on and they were able to hold the Cardinals at bay. West Virginia State would get their first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth and turned that into their first run of the game to make it 3-1 Wheeling after four.

The Yellow Jackets tacked on two more in the fifth and the game was tied at 3-3, spelling the end of Jinks's afternoon. The right hander would last 4.2 innings of work, allowing three runs on five hits while walking two and striking out three. Reliever Hunter Dyck would come on and add 1.1 scoreless innings and the Cardinals came to the plate in the top of the seventh with the game still tied at 3-3. The Cardinals went 1-2-3 in the top of the seventy and a scoreless innings of relief from Kyle Dalton sent the game to extra innings. In the top of the eighth the Cardinals would have the first two batters retired before a Garth Charlton single and a Riley Day pinch hit double put runners at second and third with two outs. However, a groundout ended the inning and the game was still tied in the bottom of the eighth.

West Virginia State would end things there with a walk-off single and the Cardinals would end up falling 4-3. Thomas Kegerreis led the way for the Cardinals, going 2-4 with two RBI while Braden Killens drove in the other run, finishing 1-3. The Cardinals looked to bounce back in game two and salvage a game in the four game MEC opening weekend.

Game Two: West Virginia State 11, Wheeling 1

The second game of the day did not get any easier for the Cardinals as the West Virginia State offense came out early and often. Jared Naida would get the start for the Cardinals and worked around a base runner in the first to keep the Yellow Jackets off the board. The Cardinals had one base runner of their own in the first, but was unable to push anything across. Naida got tagged for two runs in the bottimIf the second courtesy of a two-run home run, but he was able to keep it right there as West Virginia State led 2-0 after two innings. He gave up one more run in the third and finished his outing with a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth. Naida lasted 4.0 innings in the game, allowing the three runs on three hits while walking two and striking out two.

However, West Virginia State broke out in the bottom of the fifth, putting a seven-spot on the board and took a 10-0 lead after five. They added another run in the bottom of the sixth before the Cardinals go their offense going in the top of the seventh. Braden Killens grounded out to start the inning before Garth Charlton lifted his first home run of the 2023 season on a 2-1 pitch to make it an 11-1 game. However, a strikeout and a groundout would end the game and Wheeling would end up dropping game two of the doubleheader. The Yellow Jackets pitching staff was tough throughout the day as starter Tyler Lafferty finished the complete game effort for the Yellow Jackets, allowing one run on four hits while walking one and striking out four.

Charlton would lead the Cardinals, going 1-3 at the plate while hitting his first home run of the season. The other three Cardinals hits came courtesy of Scott Kondroik, Thomas Kegerreis, and Anthony May as the Cardinals dropped to 0-4 in MEC play.

The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Saturday, March 25th, when they host West Virginia Wesleyan in their home opener with first pitch scheduled for 1 PM.