Wheeling, W. Va. – After struggling to find offense over the weekend, the Wheeling University Baseball team (8-12, 2-6) was looking to wake the bats up. They did just that as they welcomed Bluefield State to the JB Chambers I-470 Complex on Thursday in their midweek matchup. Wheeling struck for a season high 12 runs as they knocked down the Big Blue 12-5 for their eighth win of the season.
Brock Elliott would take the ball for the Cardinals and, after allowing a two-out RBI single, was able to strand two runners to keep it a 1-0 game heading into the bottom of the first. Christian Boyles would step in to lead off the bottom of the first and set the tone with a leadoff solo home run to left field. It was his first home run of the season and tied the game at 1-1. Spencer Craig followed with a single and got into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, the Cardinals had runners at the corners and two outs and Michael Norton dropped an RBI single into left to give Wheeling a 2-1 lead. Cade Lacy would walk to put two on and two outs. Bluefield State would throw an errant pick-off throw to first and Norton would come home to score to push Wheeling's lead to 3-1.
Elliott would pick-up back-to-back scoreless frames in the the second and third innings to round out his night. He was one of six pitchers to take the mound for the Cardinals, throwing 3.0 innings allowing one unearned run on four hits while striking out four batters. The Cardinal offense would get back on the board in the bottom of the third after Nicholas Schultz reached on a one-out single. Michael Norton would line a ball to the right field wall scoring Schulz from first to extend Wheeling's lead to 4-1. Tomoki Jitsukawa would come in relief and threw 2.0 innings, allowing one run, while walking one and striking out one. The score sat at 4-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth before the Cardinals broke out for seven runs to ice the game.
It was another lead off home run spark the Cardinals as Keaton Ferrence hit his first home run of the year to start the inning. Schulz followed with a single, and Norton and Jalen Raysor dry walks to load the bases with one out. Jacob Lentz would step in and started to carousel with a bases loaded walk that made it a 6-2 Wheeling lead. A wild pitch would bring home the Cardinals 7th run of the inning before Boyles walked to load the bases. Craig what step in and brought two more home after an error from the third baseman made in a 9-2 game. A wild pitch would move Craig into scoring position and Nic Ancelet would bring home the remaining two runners with an RBI double that pushed Wheeling's lead to 11-2.
The game well in hand, head coach Ryan Lewicki a call to the bullpen bringing in Matt Sanfilippo. Sanfilippo would shut down Bluefield state over the next two innings to keep it an 11-2 game while running his first win of the season. Sanfilippo would throw 2.0 innings, allowing two hits while striking out two batters. His offense would reward him in the bottom of the seventh. After a groundout started the inning, Ancelet would line a one-out triple to the right field wall. Connor Wong would bring him home with a little tapper in front of home plate as Ancelet raced home to make it a 12-2 game. Bluefield State would try to rally back, scoring three runs in the top of the ninth, but Damian Tarin would come on for the games final out giving the Cardinals a 12-5 win.
There were contributors up and down the Cardinal lineup with Michael Norton leading the way. The outfielder would go 2-3 with a walk, a double, and two RBI in the effort. Nicolas Ancelet would be the other cardinal to finish with two RBI, going 2-4 with a triple and a run scored on the night. Christian Boyles was a table setter at the top of the lineup finishing 3-5 with a home run and three runs scored. Keaton Ference would hit the other Cardinal Home Run and Nicholas Schulz would finish 3-5 with three runs scored on the day.
The Wheeling University Baseball team return to action on saturday, March 29th, when they hit the road to face Concord with first pitch at 1 PM.
