Morgantown, W. Va. - After a weather-aided break in the series, the Wheeling University Baseball team (30-11, 16-4) was back at Mylan Park Sunday to play the final two games of their series with Fairmont State. Wheeling would end up splitting the day, falling in game one 6-4 before beating the Falcons 14-7 in game two, to win their fifth weekend in a row. With the win in game two, the Cardinals broke the single-season win record and Head Coach Ryan Lewicki became the winningest coach in program history, picking up his 168th win of his career.
Game One: Fairmont State 6, Wheeling 4
After taking the first two games of the series, the Cardinals looked to keep the momentum going as they headed into the third game of the series. They got the offense going right away once again in the top of the fourth, when Caid Heflin drew a one-out walk. Gavin Millians would reach on a throwing error, and it was Luke Meyer who singled through the middle to bring home the first Cardinal run and give them a 1-0 lead. Dom Carlson would take the ball for the Cardinals, and conceded the first run of the series in the bottom of the first and the game would sit tied at 1-1 heading to the second. Wheeling took the lead right back in the top of the second, when Edward Mateo reached on a two-out single, followed by a Heflin walk. Millians would step in and deliver a RBI double that scored Mateo and made it a 2-1 game.
Carlson responded to the newfound lead with a 1-2-3 bottom of the second, and Kalayo Shaw pushed the Wheeling lead to 3-1 with a solo home run to start the top of the third. Fairmont State got the run back in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Bryont Green and he game sat at 3-2 after three innings. Both teams were held off the board in the fourth, but a Shaw two-out double in the top of the fifth got the offense started once again. Chris Alvarez would pick up the runner with an RBI single and Wheeling extended their lead to 4-2. However, the big blow for Fairmont State would come in the bottom of the fifth, when Green once again came through with a two-RBI double, and the game sat tied at 4-4 through five innings of play.
The score would remain tied at 4-4 after seven innings, as Carlson was able to keep the Falcons at bay. He would leave after 7.0 innings, allowing four runs on six hits while walking three and striking out four. The Cardinals would threaten in the top of the seventh, getting runners to first and second with one out before a double play would end the inning. Tomoki Jitsukawa would enter for the eighth, and allowed a two-out single before keeping the Falcons at bay. The Cardinals would go 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, but Fairmont State would pick up the win with a two-run walk-off home run from Reily Bubb and Fairmont State would take game one 6-4.
Leading the effort for the Cardinals was Kalayo Shaw, who finished 2-4 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored. He would help extend the Cardinal lead in the top of the third, and scored the fourth run of the game. Luke Meyer added a 1-4 effort with an RBI, while Chris Alvarez went 1-3 with an RBI. Gavin Millians rounded out the scoring, going 2-4 with two doubles and an RBI, while Noah Gutierrez finished 2-4 to round out the day.
Game Two: Wheeling 14, Fairmont State 7
After earning a walk-off win in game one, Fairmont State kept the momentum going in game two, putting a three-spot up to start the game in the bottom of the first. Wheeling would answer right back with a one-out single from Brett Johnson and a hit by pitch for Chris Alvarez putting runners at first and second with one out. Both runners would move up 90 feet with a stolen base, and Griffin Pickhardt stepped in with one out and two in scoring position. Pickhardt would send the ball over the left-center field wall and Wheeling was able to tie the game at 3-3. It was a reset for starting pitcher Ethan Wells, who allowed one run in the bottom of the second before his day came to an end. He would throw 2.0 innings allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits while walking two and striking out one.
Fairmont State would hold that lead into the top of the fourth when Alvarez started the inning with a double. Pickhardt would come through once again with a game-tying hit, singling through the right side to bring home Alvarez and tie the game at 4-4. Keaton Ference followed with a double of his own, putting runners at second and third with on out, and Jalen Raysor would bring home both runners with a single that gave the Cardinals a 6-4 lead. The Cardinal bullpen would step in for the final five innings, and Fairmont State would get one of those three runs back in the bottom of the fourth. Jacob Rollyson threw a scoreless bottom of the third, before Walter gave up the run in the bottom of the fourth and the Cardinals held a 6-5 lead heading to the fifth.
Both teams would be held off the board in the fifth, and the top of the sixth would see Keaton Ference put the Cardinals back on the board with a solo home run. After throwing a scoreless fifth inning, Jack Davidson would come back out for the bottom of the sixth, and a two-run home run from Reily Bubb and the game would sit tied at 7-7. Jacob Dukate would come in and got the Cardinals out of the inning with the game tied. The top of the seventh would see the Cardinal offense breakout, started with a solo home run by Luke Meyer that made it an 8-7 Cardinal lead with one out. Brett Johnson followed with a double and a groundout would keep him in scoring position with two outs. Pickhardt would step in and pick up his fifth RBI of the day with a single that scored Johnson and Ference was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Raysor would come through once again, this time with an RBI single, and Wheeling took a 10-7 lead.
Edward Mateo would keep the hit parade going with a two-RBI double to right center and, after a Kalayo Shaw walk, Gavin Millians would single home Mateo and the Cardinals took a 13-7 lead. The final run of the inning came home on a throwing error that allowed Meyer to reach and the Cardinals led 14-7 heading to the bottom of the seventh. Dukate would stay in the game for the final three outs and, after allowing a two-out walk, was able to close out the win. In total, Dukate would throw 2.0 innings allowing one walk and striking out two as he earned his second win of the season.
Leading the effort was Griffin Pickhardt, who finished 3-5 with a home run, three runs scored, and five RBI. He would start the scoring with a three-run home run in the top of the second, and continued to help the Cardinals add on throughout the night. Jalen Raysor followed with a 3-4 effort with three RBI and a run scored, while Edward Mateo finished 303 with a pair of walks, a run scored, and two RBI. Gavin Millians, Luke Meyer, and Keaton Ference would each drive in runs to round out the day as the Cardinals broke the single-season win record.
The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Wednesday, April 22nd, when they host Davis & Elkins in non-conference action with first pitch at 2 PM.
