BUCKHANNON – Two solid pitching performances led the West Virginia Wesleyan baseball team to a Mountain East Conference doubleheader sweep against the University of Charleston Golden Eagles here today at Hank Ellis Field.
Wesleyan took game one by a 7-1 score and won the second outing by a 5-0 score.
In the first game, senior hurler Chris Denno tossed all seven innings and didn't allow an earned run while striking out three to improve his record to 2-3.
James Fraser and Ryan Rado each knocked in a run for the Bobcats in the bottom of the second to give them a 2-0 lead.
Wesleyan chased across four runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Riley Metz had a one-run single, Travis Renner had a one-run single and Nick Jones had a two-run double to account for the scoring.
That staked Wesleyan to a 6-0 advantage.
Wesleyan added their seventh run when Michael Logsdon singled and later scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth.
Charleston scored their unearned run in the top of the fifth.
Wesleyan had 12 hits in the victory.
Logsdon, Logan Moneypenny and Riley Metz each had two hits.
In game two, James Gainer threw a complete-game shutout for the Bobcats.
He allowed just two hits, one walk and struck out two to improve his record to 3-0.
Wesleyan scored all the runs they needed in the first inning with a three-run opening frame.
Corey Lynn had a one-run single, Moneypenny had a one-run double and Metz brought home a run on a groundout that gave Wesleyan a 3-0 lead.
Tre Kerns hit a sacrifice fly that scored Ryan Rado in the bottom of the second to treat Wesleyan to a 4-0 lead.
The Bobcats wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the fifth when Fraser singled home Logsdon.
Wesleyan piled up 11 hits in the win with Logsdon, Rado and Michael Bolla getting two each.
The swept kept Wesleyan firmly entrenched in sixth-place in the MEC, which is the spot for the play-offs.
Wesleyan improved to 17-14 overall and 15-14 in the MEC.
They will conclude their four-game series with Charleston tomorrow at home.
It will be the final home game for four seniors. The Bobcats will recognize their four seniors – Bolla, Denno, Moneypenney and Bronson Clark after the first game tomorrow.
First pitch will be at 11 a.m.
(Photo courtesy of Peter Galarneau Jr.)
