Wheeling, W. Va. - Before they head into the final week of Mountain East Conference (MEC) play, the Wheeling University Baseball team (21-19, 11-13) will take on a week of non-conference play to close out April. The stretch begins on Tuesday when the team returns to the J.B. Chambers I-470 complex to take on IUP with first pitch at 3 PM. The Cardinals are looking to get momentum on their side before their big rivalry matchup with West Liberty to close out the year next week.
Last time out, the Cardinals played a four-game weekend set with Fairmont State, and would end up splitting the four games at Mylan Park. On day two, the Cardinals started things off strong, scoring four runs over the first three innings to take a 4-0 advantage. However, Fairmont State put together a late push, scoring five runs of their own over the final two innings. It was enough to lift the Falcons to an 8-7 win and the Cardinals dropped their first game of the weekend. In game two, it was the Falcons that got off to the strong start, taking a 8-0 lead into the sixth. This time, it was the Cardinals who made the late push, tying the score at 10-10 heading into the bottom of the seventh. Once again, it was Fairmont State who would come through with a walk-off winner as they picked up an 11-10 win that led to a split of the weekend.
It was a big weekend for centerfielder Nic Ancelet, who finished the four-game set hitting 5-12 (.416) with eight RBI across the series. His biggest day would come on day two, when he drove in two runs in game one followed by a three RBI game in game two. He has really turned it on since MEC North Division play started, going 15-41 (.366) with 13 RBI during that 14-game stretch. It has helped raise his average to .333 on the season, sitting second on the team in that category while sitting fourth on the team with 38 hits this season. As the Cardinals come down the stretch, Ancelet will be looking to be a big player as the team heads towards the 2024 MEC Tournament.
It was also a historic weekend for infielder Braden Killens, who finished the four-game set going 4-12 (.333) with three home runs and nine RBI across the four-game set. With his three home runs, Killens broke the single-season home record with his 13th of the season, breaking the old record which he set a season ago. Killens has been the Cardinal's offensive leader this season, hitting .341 with 13 home runs and 46 RBI to lead the team this season. On the first day, the Cardinals got strong pitching from starters Wes Landis and Kenny Jinks. Both were charged with early runs and both were able to shut down the Falcons the rest of the way. Jinks would throw 6.0 innings giving up just the five first inning runs while Wes Landis threw 4.2 innings while allowing two first inning runs.
As they continue through their non-conference schedule, the Cardinals are looking to improve their standing in the Atlantic Region. The Cardinals are 18-19 so far in regional play and are looking to rack up their win total this week. It starts with the matchup Tuesday with IUP and continues int the weekend when they have their first meeting with Salem University. While these games will have no impact on the MEC Standings, the Cardinals still want to build momentum heading into the final week of play. The Cardinal's magic number to clinch a playoff spot sits at two sitting in the final two weeks of the regular season, meaning two West Liberty losses to Fairmont State this weekend would clinch the Cardinal's their playoff spot.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Crimson Hawks are meeting for the sixth time in program history, with Wheeling leading the all-time series at 3-2. When they play at the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex, the Cardinals have won the only meeting between the two teams, while going 2-2 in four road meetings. It has been a high-scoring series overall, with the Cardinals averaging 11 runs per game with the team reaching double digit runs in three of those five games.
Last season, the Cardinals picked up the win at the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex with an 18-8 win over IUP. The Cardinals were led by former Cardinal Lucas Rawlins, who finished 3-6 with a double, three RBI, and a run scored. Braden Killens added a perfect 3-3 day with a home run, four runs scored, two RBI, and three walks while former Cardinal Garth Charlton went 2-3 with a pair of RBI.
The Details
First pitch for Tuesday's game is scheduled for 3 PM at the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
