Johnstown, PA-The Wheeling Jesuit baseball team finished a WVIAC Northern Division series against the University of Pitt-Johnstown on Sunday afternoon, ending with a split. The Cardinals claimed the first game by a score of 2-1 while a Mountain Cat walk-off homerun decided game two, 5-2.
In game one, the Cardinals scored one run in the third inning and one in the fifth and received two outstanding performances on the mound by starting pitcher Tim Giebel and relief pitcher Steven Buffo.
Giebel received the win only allowing three hits and one run in four innings of work while Buffo threw three complete innings giving up only two hits as he earned the save.
The Cardinal offense scattered seven hits around the yard with Mark Gira and Ryan Venderlic collecting RBIs. Gira plated Dustin Phillips who reached on a single, and Venderlic blasted the game winning RBI single to center field which scored Gira.
In the nightcap, the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Andrew Nemecek cleared the playing surface with a solo-shot over the 60-foot left field wall.
Wheeling Jesuit scored a second run in the fourth inning, taking a 2-0 advantage as Venderlic reached on a walk followed by a single from Dominic San Felippo and an RBI single by Robbie Davia.
The Mountain Cats answered with a run in the fourth and scored in the fifth to deadlock the final game of the series.
With the game tied, Nemecek blasted a double to right center field, but the Cards failed to plate the go-ahead run. In the bottom of the seventh inning, UPJ shortstop Seth Roy led-off with a double high off the wall and the Cards gave the three hitter a free pass.
On the next pitch, pinch-hitter Zach Martin cleared the bases with a three-run blast over the right field fence.
With the split, the Cardinals moved to 11-17 overall and 9-11 in WVIAC play while the Mountain Cats improved to 8-11 in league play and 12-21 overall.
Wheeling Jesuit is scheduled to host the University of Charleston on Tuesday, April 19 at the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
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