Wheeling, W. Va. - For the second time this season, the Wheeling University Baseball team (9-4, 0-0) played host to a weekend series at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston, West Virginia. It was a return to Atlantic Region play as the Cardinals welcomed in Bluefield State, looking to rebound from a regional loss two weeks ago. It was a split of the day for the Cardinals, with the offense erupting for an 8-0 win in game one, followed by a back and forth 5-4 win for Bluefield State in the nightcap.
Game One: Wheeling 8, Bluefield State 0
Game one saw the Cardinals turn to their ace, and he did his job, not allowing a run for the second time this season. He got the game started by striking out the side in the top of the first, and his offense would come right back and get him his first run of the night in the bottom half Edward Mateo would start things with a single and a balk would move him into scoring position. A Luke Meyer walk would put runners at first and second and a wild pitch would move runners to the corner's with one out. Kalayo Shaw would bring the run home with a sacrifice fly, and the Cardinals held a 1-0 advantage after an inning of play. Khan would end up retiring the first six batters he faced, before allowing a leadoff single to start the bottom of the third. He would allow two base runners in the inning, but neither would score to keep the Cardinals ahead 1-0.
The score would remain 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when Nicholas Schulz drew a walk to start the inning. Brett Johnson followed with a double, and the Cardinals had runners at second and third with nobody out. Â Chris Alvarez would step in and picked up both runners with an RBI single that pushed the Cardinal advantage to 3-0. Griffin Pickhardt would follow by being hit by a pitch, and a groundout moved both runners to scoring position. Meyer would step in and once again picked up the runners in scoring position with an RBI single to make it 5-0. Shaw would grab his second RBI of the day to cap off the five run inning, and the Cardinals led 6-0 heading to the top of the fifth.
In the bottom half of the fifth, Wheeling would get their final two runs when Brett Johnson drew a walk and stole second to get into scoring position. Alvarez would follow with a single and Pickhardt walked to load the bases with one out. It would be Mateo that picked up the clutch hit, lining a two RBI single to center to make it an 8-0 game. It would be more than enough run support for Khan, who worked his way into the top of the seventh before giving way to the Cardinal bullpen. He would end the day throwing 6.1 innings allowing just four hits while walking one and striking out five. Kyle Binder would come in to secure the final two outs and struck out one of the two batters he faced to close out the 8-0 win.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was Edward Mateo, who finished 3-4 in the effort with a run scored and two RBI. It was his clutch hit in the bottom of the fifth that iced the game and tied the Cardinals for their best start in program history. Three other Cardinals finished with a pair of RBI in the effort, with Luke Meyer, Kalayo Shaw, and Chris Alvarez each driving in a pair. Brett Johnson would be a table setter for the Cardinals throughout the night, going 3-3 and scoring a pair of runs in the effort. The win tied the Cardinals for their best start in program history, and they would look for the sweep in game two.
Game Two: Bluefield State 5, Wheeling 4
In the second game, the Cardinals would send Dom Carlson to the bump, and he started as strong as Khan, with a scoreless top of the first. Also like game one, the Cardinals would get him support in the bottom of the first, after Edward Mateo walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Luke Meyer would draw a walk, before Brett Johnson stepped in and lifted a sacrifice fly to score Mateo. Wheeling had a 1-0 lead after one, but Bluefield State would answer back with a solo home run to start the second, tying the game at 1-1. The Big Blue would take the lead with another run in the top of the fourth, but the Cardinals were ready with a response in the bottom half of the inning.
Nicholas Schulz and Noah Gutierrez would draw back-to-back walks to get things started, and Griffin Pickhardt would pick up his runner in scoring position. He lines an RBI single to left to bring home Schulz and the Cardinals tied the game at 2-2. With the game tied, Carlson's day would come to an end, throwing 4.0 innings allowing two runs, one earned, on one hit while walking four and striking out five. He gave way to Ethan Wells, who faced five batters allowing a run. Bluefield State would end up adding a run in the top of the fifth, followed by two more in the top of the sixth, and they held a 5-2 lead over the Cardinals. Wheeling would have one more comeback attempt, with a Big Blue error getting things started.
Keaton Ferrence would be the one to reach on the error and Schulz followed with a single and moved to second on the throw to out runners at second and third with nobody out. The first run was brought home on a Gutierrez sacrifice fly that brought home Ferrence and made it a 5-3 game. Schulz moved up 90 feet to third and Griffin Pickhardt would pick up the final RBI with a groundout to first, but that would be the final score of the night, as the Cardinals fell to Bluefield State 5-4. It finished out a split of the day for the Cardinals, moving their record to 10-4 overall, sitting just one game shy of their best start in program history.
Leading the way for the Caridnals was Griffin Pickhardt, who finished 1-3 with a pair of RBI in the effort. Pickhardt would pick up his second multi-RBI game of the season as he helped the Cardinals push for the late comeback effort. Noah Gutierrez and Brett Johnson would each follow with an RBI each to round out the effort. After splitting their opening doubleheader of the weekend, Wheeling will look for a weekend win oin the series finale on Sunday.
The Cardinals and Big Blue will play the final two games of their four-game series on Sunday, March 8th, with first pitch at 1 PM.
