Philippi, W. Va. – Entering play on Monday afternoon, the Wheeling University Baseball team (26-19, 15-13) had a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win. They did just that and more as they swept Alderson Broaddus and earned their second trip to the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament in program history. Both games came down to the wire, with Wheeling winning by scores of 10-8 and 12-9 to sweep the day.

Game One: Wheeling 10, Alderson Broaddus 8

Both offenses were on fire throughout the day, but the Cardinals offense would jump on top in the first. Christian Boyles doubled to lead off the game and moved up to third on a passed ball. Spencer Craig would bring home the first run of the game when he reached on an error to make it a 1-0 game. Braden Killens and Jacob Murray each walked to load the bases before Lucas Rawlins stepped in. He would bring home two more runs and push Wheeling's lead to 3-0. Thomas Kegerreis would bring home the final run of the inning with an RBI groundout that gave Wheeling a 4-0 lead after one. Staked to a four-run lead, Kody McCarley responded with a 1-2-3 bottom of the first and the Cardinals led 4-0 after one inning of play.

The Battlers would answer back with a run in the bottom of the second before Murray drew his second walk of the day to start the third. He would come home after a single and a walk were followed by a double play that allowed Murray to score and make it a 5-1 game. The Cardinals would get a leadoff runner on again in the fourth when Nic Ancelet reached on a walk. He would steal second and a groundout moved him to third with one out. He would come home on a Craig double and the Cardinals Open things up to make it a 6-1 game. However, the lead would be short-lived as Alderson Broaddus came out swinging with six runs In the bottom of the fourth as they took a 7-6 lead. That would be the end of McCarley's day as he threw 4.0 innings allowing seven runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out three.

They were now playing from behind for the first time in the game, but got another leadoff base runner when Kegerreis doubled to start the fifth. An error allowed Scott Kondroik to reach and the Cardinals tied the game on a Garth Charlton single that made it 7-7. A fielder's choice allowed Kondroik to score and gave Wheeling the lead back at 8-7. After a Christian Boyles single moved runners to first and third, a wild pitch allowed another run to score to make it 9-7. Killens would be hit by a pitch and Murray got Wheeling to double digits with an RBI single that made it 10-7. The Cardinals needed some strong pitching in relief and they got that from Hayden Wilcox. Wilcox threw 2.0 a oreless innings not allowing a base runner. 

Hunter Dyck came in for the final inning of work, but Alderson Broaddus pushed across a run. That is all they would get as Dyck closed out his sixth save of the season, allowing the one run on two hits. Wheeling clinched the playoff spot with the win, setting up a battle for seeding when they play West Liberty in the final week of the regular season.

Leading the way was Spencer Craig and Lucas Rawlins who both had two RBI games. Both hitters finished 1-4 on the day, but they came through when their team needed it most. Christian Boyles had the lone multi-hit effort of the game, going 2-4, while Thomas Kegerreis, Scott Kondroik, Nic Ancelet, and Jacob Murray each drove in runs. The Cardinals looked to finish the day strong with a sweep to win the weekend series.

Game Two: Wheeling 12, Alderson Broaddus 9

The Cardinals had quick strike offense in game one, but they did that and more in game two, scoring at least a run in each of the first five innings. It started in the top of the first when Christian Boyles started things with a single. Two batters later, Braden Killens would get his big day started with an RBI double that made it a 1-0 Wheeling lead. Two batters later, Thomas Kegerreis duplicated Killens' effort with a double of his own and Wheeling was out to a 2-0 lead after one. The Cardinals xapitLi$$ on Alderson Broaddus's defense over the next two innings, adding a run on a fielder's choice in the second and a Battled error in the third as they took a 4-0 lead. Meanwhile, starting pitcher Dominic Parker-McDonald was cruising on the mound, allowing just one hit in three innings.

Wheeling broke things open in the top of the fifth when Donovan Dubuisson drew a walk to start the inning. Christian Boyles would double to put two in scoring position before Spencer Craig lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 5-0 Wheeling. Killens grounded out to bring home the team's sixth run of the day before Jacob Murray tripled to put the Cardinals back in business. He would be picked up by Kegerreis, who singled him home to make it 7-0. After a Kobe Hill double, Anthony May stepped in and brought home both runners with a single and Wheeling was ahead 9-0. An RBI single from Murray in the top of the fifth made it 10-0 before Alderson Broaddus got on the board with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 10-5 game.

The Cardinals got two of those runs back in the top of the seventh when Braden Killens lifted a two-run home run to make it 12-5. Parker-McDonald would finish his day after 6.0 innings allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out three. The bottom of the seventh began with four runs from the Battlers that made it a 12-9 game. Sonny Peluchette would get the final two outs of that inning to end the game and the Cardinals would get out of their with a 12-9 win and the doubleheader sweep.
It was a big day for Braden Killens, who finished 2-4 with a home run and four RBI in the game. Thomas Keggeris and Anthony May each finished with two RBI of their own while Christian Boyles, Spencer Craig, Jacob Murray, and Kobe Hill each driving in runs. The win tied Wheeling with rival West Liberty setting up a big series in "The Battle for Wheeling" to end the regular season.

The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Wednesday, May 3rd, when they hit the road to face Salem at noon.