Wheeling, W. Va. - The opening weekend of baseball saw the Wheeling University Baseball team (2-1, 0-0) traveled to South Carolina for a three-game series. On Monday, the Mountain East Conference (MEC) released their weekly Player of the Week honors, presented by The Healthplan, and the Wheeling University Baseball team earned honors in their opening weekend. Senior utility player Edward Mateo would earn the MEC's Baseball Player of the Week award, after leading the Cardinals in their opening three-game series against USC Beaufort.
Mateo would be a staple at the top of the Cardinal's lineup throughout the weekend, finishing 7-12 (.583) with five RBI and nine runs scored across the three games played. He would reach base 12 times across 17 plate appearances, drawing five walks and sporting a .706 on-base percentage on the weekend. He would finish with multi-hit efforts in each of the three games, including a weekend best three-hit performance in the middle game of the series. On the base paths, Mateo would add a perfect 3-3 in the stolen base department, tying for the team lead in steals over the weekend. He wrapped up the weekend showing his defensive flexibility, spending time both at second base and in centerfield across the three games.
His top performance came in the series finale as he helped lead the Cardinals to a 17-12 win that secured the series victory. Mateo would come to the plate six times in the game, finishing 2-3 with three walks, four RBI, and five runs scored. He would play a part in 12 of the 17 runs scored by the team on the day, with his big hit coming in the top of the sixth. He would step to the plate with the bases loaded and one out, and lined a three-RBI single to right field that cleared the bases and broke the game open. It would be his highest RBI total of the weekend, while also being the day that he crossed the plate five times. He held a .500 on-base percentage for the game and put a cap on a strong weekend on the diamond for the senior.
With Mateo earning MEC Baseball Player of the Week honors, the Cardinals have now had 30 student-athletes earn conference player of the week honors this season. It was the first career honor for Mateo, and got the Cardinal Baseball team honors in their opening weekend. The last Wheeling athlete to be honored was Wheeling Women's Swimmer Gabby Baiano, who won the MEC's Female Swimmer of the Week award back on January 26th for her work at the tri-meet against Fairmont State and Bethany College.
Edward Mateo and the Wheeling Baseball team returns to action on Saturday, February 14th, when they open a three-game series against Virginia State University at noon.
