Bethany, W. Va. – In their final midweek game of the season, the Wheeling University Baseball team (13-31, 4-20) traveled to nearby Bethany College. The Cardinals offense pounded out 15 hits, including eight extra base hits, as they took down Bethany 13-3. Seven of the nine Cardinal starters got at least one hit on the day as the team heads into their final weekend of the regular season.
The scoring got started right away in the top of the first as Spencer Craig doubled with one out. Keaton Ference would step in and brought home Craig and himself with a two-run home run that put Wheeling out to a 2-0 lead. Along with the offensive success, Kody McCarley made his return to the mound for the Cardinals and he responded with a scoreless bottom of the first. In the top of the second, the Wheeling offense was right back at it as Jacob Lentz doubled to start the inning. Seth Floyd would step in and laid down the bunt single to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Brett Johnson would bring home both runners with an RBI double and the Cardinals would up their lead to 4-0. Johnson advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a Craig groundout that made it a 5-0 Cardinal lead.
They would add another run in the top of the third as Nicholas Schulz doubled to start the inning and was brought home by a Cade Lacy groundout that pushed the lead to 6-0. It was Christian Boyles that would drive in the Cardinal' run in the top of the fourth, on an RBI single that brought home Ancelet and Craig and the Cardinals lead extended to 8-0 heading to the bottom of the fourth. McCarley would get through the fourth inning, rounding out a strong return to the mound. McCarley would end up throwing 4.0 innings allowing one run on two hits while walking three and striking out five. Israel Velasquez would come in for the next 1.1 scoreless innings and Elijah Stark would throw the game's final 1.2 innings of work, giving up two late runs.
The Cardinal offense would score in all but one in ing on the night, and that continued in the top of the fifth. The Cardinals would load the bases with a Lentz walk followed by a Floyd single and a Johnson hit by pitch. Two batters later, the bases remained loaded, but a two-out single from Ference brought home the run and the Cardinals would go ahead 9-1. The top of the sixth would be the Cardinal's highest scoring inning as an error got things started allowing Jalen Raysor to reach. Schulz followed with a single and a sacrifice bunt moved rubbers to second and third. Lentz would walk to load the bases and Floyd sent a two-RBI double to left that scored two more and made it a 11-1 game. Ancelet would draw a bases loaded walk to bring home the final run of the game and despite a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinals would pick up a 13-3 win.
Leading the way was Keaton Ference, who finished 3-5 with a home run and three RBI in the effort. His two run home run would get things started in the top of the first and the offense would never look back. Seth Floyd was the other Cardinal to drive in three runs, finishing 3-5 with three RBI and a double in the effort. Brett Johnson would be the final player to finish with three RBI, going 1-3 on the day. Spencer Craig, a Nicolas Ancelet, and Christian Boyles would each drove in runs on the day.
The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Fridayon May 2nd, when they host West Liberty in doubleheader action with first pitch at 7 PM.
