Painesville, OH- After its spring break trip to North Carolina, the Wheeling University Baseball team (5-3), (0-0) squared off against Lake Erie College in what would be an offensive shootout where the Cardinals outlasted The Storm 10-9.
Spencer Craig recorded the first hit of the game with a base-hit single to center field in the second inning. Wes Landis manned the bump for the Cardinals and kept Lake Erie scoreless with four strikeouts throughout the first three innings. The Storm was able to bring three runs across the plate in the fourth inning, but Landis returned to form with three more strikeouts in the fifth.
The Wheeling bats got going in the top of the sixth. Craig led the Cardinals off with a single and Nicholas Schulz was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. A groundout would give the baserunners the time to advance one base each. Lake Erie made the decision to change out the pitcher, but he walked the next three Cardinal batters to make the score 3-2. Dylan Maltby hit a bloop single to load up the bases and bring home the tying run. Steven Merkel was next to put the ball in play with a double to the outfield, bringing home two more runners. Maltby reached home after a passed ball as Wheeling jumped out to a 6-3 lead to end their half of the sixth inning.
Lake Erie was able to take its lead back, 7-6, but Wheeling went back to work in the seventh inning. Two walks by The Storm gave the Cardinals two runners on the basepaths. A passed ball loaded the bases and a pitch that hit Christian Boyles allowed Schulz to cross home plate to tie it up. A single by Brett Johnson brought home the go-ahead run and a sacrifice fly gave the Cardinals the 10-7 lead. Lake Erie made it interesting and added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Mason Fenwick finished out the eighth, Brock Elliot secured the save, and Wheeling would win it 10-9.
In the victory, Spencer Craig would hit 2-3 and recorded a run with two walks. Christian Boyles and Nicholas Schulz ran across home plate twice. Brett Johnson, Dylan Maltby, Josh Rush, and Steven Merkel each recorded two RBIs. Wes Landis pitched 5.1 innings and finished with eight strikeouts. Mason Fenwick pitched 2.1 innings and recorded two strikeouts. Dominic Parker-McDonald picked up the win and Brock Elliot was credited with the save.
The Wheeling University Baseball team will be back in action tomorrow for a double-header against Lake Erie College. First pitch for game one is slated for noon and game two will kick off at 2:30 pm.
