Wheeling, W. Va. - After heading down south last week, the Wheeling University Baseball team (3-2, 0-0) is back in the Atlantic Region as they continue through the 2024 season. Each of their final 45 games will be in Atlantic Regional play and they begin that stretch with a three-game set against Bluefield State. The series kicks off with a single game against the Big Blue on Saturday at 7 PM and follow it with a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 1 & 4 PM.

Last time out, the Cardinals headed to New Orleans, Louisiana where they took on Dillard in a three-game series. It was a big showing on both sides of the ball, as the offense totaled 36 runs across the three games of those three games, two were shutout performances by the pitching staff as they started the series out strong. Game one saw the Cardinals pick up a 12-0 win and in game two they added a 5-0 win to sweep the doubleheader. They came back for game three and, although they gave up their first run of the series, the offense continued their success, putting up 19 runs. They went on to win 19-2 and got over .500 for the first time this season and look to continue that success through non-conference play.

It was a big weekend up and down the lineup for the Cardinals, but no one had a bigger week than junior Braden Killens. Killens finished the week 4-10 (.400) with two home runs, two runs scored, and six RBI across the three games. Killens hit home runs in the first and last games and drove in three runs in each of those two games. For his efforts, Killens was named the MEC's Hitter of the Week for the first time in his career. He currently has the second highest batting average on the team at .389 and leads the way with both three home runs and eight RBI. After setting the single-season home run and RBI records a season ago, Killens looks to continue to lead the Cardinals in production during the 2024 season.

On the pitching staff, Kody McCarley and Kenny Jinks led the way throwing a pair of shutouts to start the series. McCarley took the ball in the first game of the series, throwing 6.0 innings of work while allowing one hit, walking one, and striking out three. McCarley sits second on the team with a 2.25 ERA over his first 8.0 innings of the season. He sits behind Jinks, who has thrown back-to-back scoreless appearances, with his strongest effort coming against Dillard. Jinks would throw 5.0 innings of work allowing three hits while striking out 12 batters. It was a career-best effort with 12 strikeouts and he has allowed just the three hits over his first two innings as he looks to continue to be a workhorse for the Cardinals.

As they continue through their non-conference schedule, the Cardinals have the goal to win as many weekend series as possible. Over their next two weekends, the Cardinals will continue Atlantic Regional play and they look to continue to win weekends down the stretch. They have received votes in each of the last two National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) polls and they look to crack the top 10 before heading into MEC play. 

The Matchup

The Cardinals and Big Blue are meeting for the seventh time in program history on Saturday, with Bluefield State leading the all-time series at 3-4. The Cardinals are 1-1 when they play in Bluefield, West Virginia as the teams are meeting for just the second series since the 2012 campaign. Wheeling is averaging 6.43 runs per game in the all-time series and looks to keep the offense going this weekend.

In their most recent meeting, the Cardinals would drop a 25-6 contest at the hands of Bluefiled State. Former Cardinal Jacob Murray would lead the way, going 2-4, while Christian Boyles added a 1-3 effort with two RBI. Former Cardinal Garth Charlton, Braden Killens, Juan Almonte, Nicholas Ancelet, and former Cardinal Kobe Hill would all drive in runs in the effort.

The Details