Glenville, W. Va. – It was back on the road for the Wheeling University Baseball team (14-11, 5-7) as they ended Mountain East Conference (MEC) South play on Sunday. They took on Glenville State and ended up splitting the day, their first split of the 2023 season. In game one, the Cardinals edged out the Pioneers 5-4 before Glenville State came back in game two and picked up a 10-0 win.

Game One: Wheeling 5, Glenville State 4

After getting swept on Saturday, the Wheeling Baseball team was looking to get off to a hot start on day two of the weekend. Christian Boyles got his team going with a leadoff single and a groundout moved him to scoring position with one out. Jacob Murray followed with a single and a flyout by Braden Killens put runners at the corner with two outs. Scott Kondroik would walk to load the bases and Thomas Kegerreis stepped in and came through with a big two-out hit. He singled home both Boyles and Murray and the Cardinals were staked to a 2-0 lead. The final two runners would be stranded, but starting pitcher Kenny Jinks got to take the mound with the lead to start the game.

Jinks responded with a 1-2-3 bottom of the first and the Cardinals led 2-0 after one inning of play. Jinks allowed his first base runner in the bottom of the first on an error, but quickly erased him with a double play to face the minimum through two innings. The Cardinals added onto their lead in the top of the third when Jacob Murray hit his second home run of the weekend and the Cardinals had a 3-0 lead after two and a half. Jinks allowed his first hit of the day in the third inning and was tagged for two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Glenville State came back to make it a 3-2 game. A Pioneer home run from Zach Morris and an RBI groundout brought home the runs as the Cardinals looked to extend their lead.

In the top of the fifth, Boyles once again started the inning with a single and would steal second. A groundout moved him to third with two outs and Braden Killens once again stepped in in a run scoring situation. The infielder came through again, this time lifting a two-run home run to extend the Cardinal's lead to 5-2 after four and a half. Jinks came back out in the bottom of the fifth and gave up one more run before his day came to an end. Jinks finished the day throwing 5.0 innings of work, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while striking out four. Hunter Dyck would come on in relief and threw the final two innings of work. He did give up one run in the bottom of the seventh, but completed the save, throwing 2.0 innings allowing one earned run on one hit while walking one and striking out two. Dyck picked up his third save of the season, and the Cardinals won 5-4.

Braden Killens once again led the way going 1-2 with a home run and two RBI whole Thomas Kegerreis added a 1-3 day with two RBI. Jacob Murray hit the other home run on the day for the Cardinals, going 2-4 with an RBI. The Cardinals looked to sweep the day and earn a split in their final MEC South Weekend.

Game Two: Glenville State 10, Wheeling 0

In game two, it was the Pioneers who got out to a hot start after Wheeling started game one strong. Johendry Colmenares got the start and ended up giving up two home runs before exiting. He was charged with four earned runs without getting an out on three hits while walking a batter. Jake Rife came in relief and settled down the situation, allowing just one run while getting the final three outs of the inning. Rife was a big boost for the Cardinals bullpen, throwing up three straight zeroes following the five run bottom of the first. He would be charged with two more unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth before his day came to an end. Rife would end up throwing 5.0 innings allowing three runs, one earned, on seven hits while walking two and striking out two.

On the offensive side, the Cardinals got at least one hit in four of the first five innings, but couldn't bring anyone home. The only 1-2-3 inning during that span was in the top of the third and the Cardinals had at least a runner in scoring position in three of those four innings. Nick Berhalter would enter for the bottom of the sixth inning and gave up three more runs as the Pioneers extended their lead to 10-0. Berhalter would finish the inning allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits while walking a batter. The Cardinals tried to battle back in the top of the seventh and Pete Toula and Anthony May would fly out for the first two outs of the inning. Sonny Peluchette singled with two outs but the game would come to an end with the Cardinals falling 10-0.

Kobe Hill was the lone multi-hit batter for the Cardinals in game two, finishing 2-3 on the day. Christian Boyles, Jacob Murray, Pete Toula, and Sonny Peluchette picked up the final four hits for the Cardinals on the day. Wheeling dropped to 5-7 in MEC play with the loss and now look ahead to the start of MEC North play next week.

The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Tuesday, April 4th, when they take on Walsh in a non-conference, nine-inning game.