Washington, PA. - The Wheeling University Baseball team (0-1, 0-0) opened the 2024 season on Monday afternoon as they took on California University of Pennsylvania (CAL-U) at Wild Things Park. After a mid-game rally that had them up heading into the final three innings, the Cardinals would drop a close one as they fell to the Vulcans 7-6. The Cardinals would out hit the Vulcans 11-10 on the day as the offense led the way in the season opener.
Getting the start for the Cardinals was Kody McCarley, who started things strong allowing a single before getting out of the inning to start the first. However, he would be charged with two runs in the bottom half of the inning after three straight infield singles. McCarley would finish with 2.0 innings of work allowing two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out three. Kenny Jinks would follow on the bump with two scoreless innings of his own while striking out two. With the Vulcans held at bay, the Cardinals would get on the board in the top of the fourth, starting a string of three straight innings in which the Cardinals scored at least one run.
Braden Killens would step in to lead off that bottom of the fourth inning an took the first pitch he saw over the wall in center field. It was Killen's first home run of the season, as he picked up right where he left off after setting the single-season home run record a season ago with 12. The side was retired in order after the home run, but the Cardinals had cut into the Vulcan lead making it a 2-1 game. Wheeling was right back at it in the top of the fifth after the first out as Bode Stewart and Nic Ancelet drew back-to-back walks to put runners at first and second with one out
It would bring Aidan Willard to the plate and he came through with an RBI single up the middle that brought Stewart home and tied the game at 2-2 with runners on the corners and one out. Josh Rush would follow with another single up the middle to give the Cardinals their first lead of the day at 3-2 bringing home Ancelet. Killens would come back to the plate, this time with two on and one out, and doubled down the left field lines to clear the bases and give the Cardinals a 5-2 lead. The Cardinals would wrap up their three-inning scoring streak in the top of the sixth after Christian Boyles reached on a one-out single and Bode was hit by a pitch. Ancelet would step in and single to right field and the Cardinals would have their biggest lead of the day at 6-2.
Nicholas Martinez would enter for the bottom of the sixth inning, and CAL-U would come back with two runs to cut the Cardinal lead to 6-4. However, Martinez would bounce back nicely with a scoreless seventh and finished his day allowing just the two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out two. The Cardinals entered the bottom of the eighth with a 6-4 advantage, but CAL-U would put up a three spot that flipped the script and made it a 7-6 Vulcan advantage heading to the top of the ninth. The Cardinal bats would have one more crack at it in the top of the ninth, and things started out promising with a one-out single by Spencer Craig. Craig would advance to second on a groundout, but a flyout would end the game as the Cardinals fell 7-6.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was Braden Killens, who finished the day 3-4 with one home run, a double, and three RBI. He hit his first home run of the season and built off the single-season home run record that he set a season ago in the effort. The other three RBI came courtesy of Nic Ancelet, Aidan Willard, and Josh Rush who each drove in one run on the afternoon. Willard and Rush would each also end the day with multi-hit efforts, with Willard going 2-4 with an RBI while Rush finished 2-5 on the day.
Game two of the weather shortened two-game series is scheduled for Tuesday, February 20th, with first pitch scheduled for 1 PM. You can follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
