Box Score Wheeling, W. Va. – After winning the weekend against Fairmont State on Monday, the Wheeling University Baseball team (23-18, 12-12) were back in action at the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex on Tuesday. The Cardinals offense once again battled, putting up eight runs, but it wasn’t enough as they fell to Seton Hill 12-8. It was a big day for Spencer Craig, who put together his first career three-hit day to lead the way for the Cardinals.
It was another bullpen day for the Cardinals as seven different pitchers combined in the effort for the Cardinals. Hayden Wilcox got the start for the team, and put together his longest outing of the season. He threw 3.0 innings of work allowing three runs on four hits while walking two and striking out three. All three of the runs came in the game’s first inning and he responded with a 1-2-3 inning in the second and a scoreless third. The Cardinals got him some runs in the bottom of the first as Braden Killens got things started with a two-out double. Jacob Murray stepped in and lifted a two-run home run to left to make it a 3-2 game. It was Murray’s eighth home run of the year and his third in his last three games.
After Wilcox got through his three innings, the Cardinals were back at it for the bottom of the third. Spencer Craig started the inning with a one-out single and a ground ball moved him to second with two outs. Jacob Murray would then be hit by a pitch and Lucas Rawlins came through with an RBI single that tied the game at 3-3. Thomas Kegerreis would then step in and picked up both base runners with a two-out two RBI double that staked the Cardinals to a 5-3 lead after three. Johendry Colmenares would then come in for a scoreless fourth inning and the Cardinals would add another run in the bottom half. Christian Boyles got things started with a two-out single and stole second to get into scoring position. Craig drove in his first run of the day with a two-out RBI single that made it a 6-3 Cardinals lead.
Jared Naida would enter for the fifth inning and was tagged for two runs before getting out of the inning with a pop out in foul territory. Sonny Peluchette added a 1-2-3 top of the sixth to keep it a one-run affair. Scott Kondroik would get on with a walk in his first at-bat of the day and two batters later it was Craig to the plate once again. He came through with a two-run home run, his fourth of the season, and the Cardinals pushed their lead back to three to make it an 8-5 game. Seton Hill would have their biggest inning of the day, adding four runs in the seventh to take the lead back at 9-8. They would add a run in the eighth and two in the ninth to build a 12-8 lead heading into the final inning of play.
Wheeling continued to battle in the bottom of the ninth as Thomas Kegerreis got things started with a one-out walk. Kobe Hill added a walk and a sacrifice bunt from Anthony May moved runners to second and third with two away. It brought up Kondroik with two on and two outs and he sent a line drive screaming towards left-center field. Unfortunately, Seton Hill center fielder Jack Whalen made a terrific diving catch to rob Wheeling of two runs and ended the game with Seton Hill winning 12-8. The Cardinals dropped to 23-18 on the year and are now 2-2 in mid-week games.
Leading the way for Wheeling was sophomore Spencer Craig, who put together his first career three hit game of his career. He went 3-4 with a home run and three RBI on the night, driving in almost half of the Cardinal’s offense. Thomas Kegerreis added a 1-3 effort with a double and an RBI while Jacob Murray went 1-4 with a home run and two RBI. The final RBI of the day came courtesy of Lucas Rawlins, who added a 1-3 effort with an RBI in the loss. The Cardinals have one more mid-week game on their schedule next week before they focus solely on MEC play.
The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Saturday, April 29th, when they hit the road to face Alderson Broaddus with first pitch at 1 PM.
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