Washington, PA. – For the third straight day, the Wheeling University Baseball team (21-7, 10-2) took the field at EQT Park in Washington, Pennsylvania on Tuesday. However, this time the Cardinals were the visiting squad as they took on CAL-U in their first midweek of the 2026 season. The Cardinals mounted a late comeback effort, scoring five runs in the top of the eighth, but it wasn't enough as they fell to the #5 team in the Atlantic Region 12-6.
With the bullpen already taxed after back-to-back doubleheaders, the Cardinals would dip into their pitching depth, with seven different pitchers toeing the rubber for the Cardinals. The Vulcan offense would jump out to an early lead, putting up dueling three spots in the first and second innings to take a 6-0 lead heading to the top of the third. Jack Davidson would get the start, lasting one inning, and was followed by a one inning relief outing from Elijah Stark. As they entered the third inning, Wheeling would call on Logan Stalbird from the bullpen and he would provide some stability with 2.0 shutout innings while allowing three hits. Meanwhile, Vulcan starter Colin Watson was cruising through the early portion of the game, retiring the first 10 Cardinal batters he faced.
He wouldn't allow his first base runner until the top of the fourth, when Edward Mateo broke through with a one-out single. Gavin Millians would follow with a single of his own to put runners on first and second with one out. Luke Meyer stepped up and delivered the Cardinal's third straight single to bring home Mateo and make it a 6-1 game. Jacob Dukate would come in for the fifth and was charged with an earned run over his two innings of work and CAL-U entered the top of the seventh with a 7-1 lead. Dukate would finish the day with a scoreless bottom of the sixth., closing out a day that saw him allow three hits while striking out one. CAL-U furthered their lead with five runs in the bottom of the seventh and, as they entered the top of the eighth, they would hold a 12-1 lead. Luke Walter got the final two outs of the inning and the Cardinal comeback try would begin in that top of the eighth inning.
After a groundout started the inning, Mateo, Keaton Ference, and Meyer each drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Chris Alvarez would step in and drew the fourth walk of the inning to bring home Mateo and make it a 12-2 game. The big hit would come from Jalen Raysor, who stepped in with the bases loaded and promptly cleared them. He lined an RBI double down the left field line, scoring all three runners and cutting the Vulcan lead to 12-5. Nicholas Schulz would follow with a single that moved runners to the corners with one out and a sacrifice fly from Griffin Pickhardt brought home the fifth run of the inning. Unfortunately, that is as close as the Cardinals would get as they fell 12-6, taking their seventh loss of the season.
Leading the effort for Wheeling was senior Edward Mateo who finished 2-4 with a pair of runs scored. He continued to be a catalyst in the middle of the lineup, sparking both innings in which the Cardinals got a run on the board. Jalen Raysor had the big hit in the top of the eighth with a bases clearing double, finishing 1-1 with a double and three RBI. Luke Meyer, Griffin Pickhardt, and Chris Alvarez each added RBI to round out the day, with Meyer leading that trio with a 1-3 effort with a run scored.
The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Friday, April 3rd, when they hit the road to face Salem at 1 PM.
