Winston Salem, NC. The Wheeling University Baseball team (4-4, 0-0) opened a weekend set in North Carolina on Saturday at Carolina University. It was a tale of two games as the Cardinals got a strong pitching performance in game one before earning the split in game two. Kody McCarley led the way with a gem on the mound in game one as the Cardinals won 4-0, followed by an 8-6 loss in game two to complete the split.
Game One: Wheeling 4, Carolina U 0
The first game of the day saw the Cardinals turn to their ace Kody McCarley, who kept his early season success going in his third start of the year. He threw his second complete game of the season, and the first complete game shutout of the year for the team. He was tagged for just three hits in the 7.0 innings and topped his career-best effort from last time out, striking out 13 batters, the most by a Cardinal's pitcher in a single game since the 2012 season. He only had two 1-2-3 innings on the night but was able to work through some traffic on the basepaths as he finished out the complete game effort.
Neither team scored over the first two innings of play, with the Cardinals breaking through in the top of the third. Nick Ancelet walked to start the game and a sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position. Scott Kondroik would come through with the first RBI of the game, ripping a double to center field to make it a 1-0 Cardinal lead. Spencer Craig would reach on a walk two batters later, but he would be stranded, and the Cardinals led 1-0. It would remain that score until the top of the fifth inning when Ancelet once again got on base to start the inning, reaching on a two-base error. He would steal third and then came home to score on an RBI groundout that made it a 2-0 Wheeling lead.
The final two runs of the game came home in the top of the sixth after Craig walked to start the inning. It brought up Braden Killens, who delivered his first Wheeling home run, a two-run shot, to make it a 4-0 advantage. With the lead securely in hand, McCarley came to the mound in the bottom of the seventh and struck out the first two batters he faced. He would finish the game with a flyout to right and the Cardinals got back above .500 with a 4-0 win.
Killens led the way for the Cardinals, going 1-3 with a home run and two RBI, while Scott Kondroik added another two RBI while going 1-4. Anthony May and Thomas Kegerreis delivered the final two Cardinal hits as they took game one and set up an opportunity for a sweep in game two.
Game Two: Carolina U 8, Wheeling 6
After getting the win in game one, the Cardinals were looking to come back strong and earn their first doubleheader sweep in game two. The Cardinals got the day started off strong as Kobe Hill walked to start things and Scott Kondroik singled to left to put two on and nobody out. Jacob Murray would then follow with a hit by pitch and the Cardinals had the bases loaded and nobody out. Their first two runs would come home on a Bruins' error and two batters later, Lucas Rawlins picked up the first RBI of the day with a single that made it 3-0 Cardinals. Christian Boyles followed with an RBI single of his own and three batters later the bases were once again loaded.
Kobe Hill would then step up with the bases loaded and two outs and drew a big walk to bring home the fifth run of the inning and the Cardinals were flying high leading 5-0 after a half an inning. However, the Bruins came out strong in the bottom of the inning, bringing in two runs of their own and making it a 5-2 game after one. The Cardinals held that lead into the top of the third and after a leadoff walk and a single, a Bruins' error would move runners up to second and third with one out. A sacrifice fly would bring in the sixth run of the game for the Cardinals and they were sitting high ahead 6-2 heading into the bottom of the third. Carolina U responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning and the score sat at 6-3 Wheeling after three.
Jared Naida got his first start of the 2023 season and through the first three innings, he allowed just three hits and three runs. His only blow came in the fourth, when Carolina U would touch him up for four runs and took a 7-6. That would bring Naida's night to an end as he lasted 4.0 innings allowing seven runs, five earned, on six hits while walking two and striking out six. Hunter Dyck came on in relief and threw the final two innings of work, giving up one unearned run while not allowing a hit and striking out one. The Bruins would go on to win by an 8-6 final score as the Cardinals would split the day.
Sophomore Kobe Hill led the way for the Cardinals, going 1-2 with two RBI and a pair of walks on the day while Sammy Kondroik had the lone multi-hit day for the Cardinals, going 2-3. Lucas Rawlins and Christian Boyles rounded out the offense with one hit and one RBI each in the game. The Cardinals brought their record back to even at 4-4 and will continue their weekend set against Mid-Atlantic Christian University on Sunday.
The Wheeling University Baseball team will be back in action on Sunday for a doubleheader against Mid-Atlantic Christian University at 2 PM. Stay tuned to wucardinals.com for coverage of all the action.
