Elizabeth City, NC. - The Wheeling University Baseball team (6-4, 0-0) continued their North Carolina trip on Sunday as they made the short trip to Elizabeth City, North Carolina to take on Mid-Atlantic Christian University (MACU). The Cardinals would earn their first sweep of the 2023 season and moved their record to 3-1 so far on the weekend, guaranteeing them a winning weekend in North Carolina. They took game one 6-2 before coming back in dramatic fashion to win game two 9-6.
Game One: Wheeling 6, Mid-Atlantic Christian University 2
After splitting Saturday's doubleheader, the Cardinals were looking to come out strong in the first game of day two and get the momentum back on their side. The Cardinals threatened in each of the first two innings, loading the bases in the first and getting runners to first and third in the second, but weren't able to capitalize. Meanwhile, a MACU double and a Wheeling error in the bottom of the first brought home their first run of the game and had the Cardinals trailing 1-0. Aside from allowing the one run, Wheeling starter Kenny Jinks. Was solid through the first two innings, striking out three batters and allowing just two hits and an unearned run during that time.
His offense would pick him up in the top of the third when Spencer Craig came through with a two-out single to put Wheeling in business. Thomas Kegerreis followed with a single and Garth Charlton would drive in the first run with a single that scored Craig and made it a 1-1 game. Nick Ancelet would then step in and pick up both base runners with a two-RBI double, and the Cardinals had their first lead of the day at 3-1. Sonny Peluchette would round out the scoring with an RBI single that brought home Ancelet and had the Cardinals ahead 4-1 after two and a half. Jinks was pitching with the lead for the first time in the game and responded with a scoreless third, where he faced four batters striking out two, and the Cardinals were ahead 4-1 after three.
The Cardinals were back on the board in the top of the fourth after Criag once again kept the inning going with a two out walk. Kegerreis would step up again with a runner on and two outs and this time deposited the ball over the left field wall for his second home run of the season to make it 6-1 Wheeling. The Broncos added one more run in the top of the fourth inning, but Cardinal's pitching shut things down from there. Jinks would finish the day throwing 6.0 innings allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits while walking four and striking out 12, marking the second game this weekend where a Cardinal has struck out 12+ batters. Kyle Dalton rounded out the day, throwing a scoreless inning of relief in the seventh and Wheeling won 6-2.
Kegerreis led the way for the Cardinals, going 2-2 with a home run and two RBI as well as two runs scored. He was one of three Cardinals with multiple hits in the game as Jacob Murray and Nick Ancelet each finished with 2-4 days. Eight of the nine Cardinals got hits on the day as the Cardinals got back over .500 and looked for the sweep in game two.
Game Two: Wheeling 9, Mid-Atlantic Christian University 6
Just as they did in game one, Mid-Atlantic Christian University once again jumped out to a lead in game two, pushing two runs across in the bottom of the first to put Wheeling behind 2-0 in the early going. After allowing the two first inning runs, starter Dominic Parker-McDonald settled in during the second inning, tossing scoreless frames and it was 2-0 MACU after two. The Cardinals threatened in each of those first two innings, getting a runner to scoring position in each of those innings but being unable to bring them home.
A two-run home run for the Broncos extended their lead to 4-0 before the Cardinals got on the board for the first time in the top of the fourth. Anthony May would reach on a single to start the inning and stole second two batters later to give Wheeling a runner in scoring position with one out. Sonny Peluchette would then step in and smacked a single to right field scoring May and making it a 4-1 game. Pete Toula would then step in a few batters later and would bring home Peluchette with an RBI single that cut the Bronco's lead in half at 4-2. Parker-McDonald's day would end after four innings as he allowed another unearned run bringing his total to five runs, four earned, on seven hits while walking two and striking out four. The MACU lead would remain 5-2 as Wheeling came to the plate in the top of the seventh with their last swings of the day.
Jacob Murray would get the inning started with a double and a single by Kegerreis moved runners to first and third with nobody out. A walk would load the bases and Wheeling got on the board with a sacrifice fly by Anthony May that made it a 5-3 game with one out in the seventh. Aidan Willard would then step in and promptly singled to load the bases bringing Craig to the plate as a pinch hitter. He would come through with a two-RBI pinch hit double to tie the game at 5-5 and keep Wheeling alive. Another error allowed the Cardinals to take the lead as Willard came home to score and an RBI ground out by Scott Kondroik made it a 7-5 Wheeling lead. Jacob Murray, who started the inning, would bring the scoring to an end as he hit a two RBI single that scored Braeden Killens and Pete Toula and Wheeling was ahead 9-5.
Jake Rife would close things out in the bottom of the seventh, allowing one run but holding the lead and earning his first win of the season. Rife threw 3.0 innings of work, allowing one unearned run on two hits while walking one and striking out two. The Cardinals were led on offense by Jacob Murray, who finished 2-5 with two RBI, including the hit that eventually sealed the deal. Sonny Peluchette added a 1-3 effort with an RBI while Aidan Willard and Donovan Dubuisson each finished with multi-hit efforts.
The Wheeling University Baseball team is back in action this afternoon when they take on Carolina University in a nine-inning game with first pitch at 2 PM.
