Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — West Virginia Wesleyan battled back in both ends of Saturday's doubleheader against Wheeling University, but the Cardinals used timely offense late in game one and an early power surge in game two to claim a sweep of the Bobcats, 7-3 and 8-4. Wheeling totaled 25 hits across the two games, while Wesleyan got multi-hit efforts from Grant Smith in both contests and key run-producing swings from Grant Shumaker and Isaac Lough during the day.
 
In the opener, Wheeling struck quickly with two runs in the top of the first. Kalayo Shaw and Brett Johnson opened the game with back-to-back singles, and Gavin Millians followed with a two-run single to put the Cardinals in front 2-0 before Wesleyan recorded its first at-bat.
 
The Bobcats answered in the bottom of the third and briefly moved in front with a three-run inning. Dylan Neach reached on an error to begin the frame, Grant Smith singled, and Malik Wood reached on another Wheeling miscue to load the bases. Coleman Cross drove in Wesleyan's first run on a groundout, then Shumaker delivered the biggest swing of the inning with a two-run single that was followed by another error, allowing the Bobcats to take a 3-2 lead. All three runs in the inning were unearned as Wesleyan capitalized on Wheeling's defensive mistakes.
 
Wheeling pulled even in the fifth when Edward Mateo singled and later scored on Millians' RBI single, knotting the game at 3-3. The Cardinals then broke it open in the seventh. Shaw worked a leadoff walk, Wheeling strung together three straight hits, and Johnson's RBI double gave the visitors the lead. Mateo followed with an RBI single, Millians reached on an error that brought home another run, and Luke Meyer later added an RBI fielder's choice as Wheeling plated four runs in the inning for the 7-3 final.
 
Shumaker led Wesleyan offensively in game one by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Smith finished 2-for-3 and scored once. Chase Gora added a hit, and the Bobcats finished with five hits overall. Drake Long worked the first six innings on the mound, allowing 10 hits and four runs before Wheeling's decisive rally in the seventh. Wheeling starter Sebastian Khan went the distance, striking out nine and allowing just one earned run.
 
Game two again saw Wheeling jump in front early. The Cardinals scored twice in the opening inning on RBI singles from Millians and Nicholas Schulz, then erupted for four more runs in the second. Brett Johnson doubled in a run before Mateo launched a three-run homer to push the Wheeling lead to 6-0.
 
Wesleyan responded in the bottom of the second. Josiah Segura doubled to start the inning, Dylan Neach singled, and Isaac Lough delivered a two-run double to get the Bobcats on the board. Grant Smith followed with an RBI single, trimming the deficit to 6-3 and giving Wesleyan momentum after the rough start.
 
That was as close as the Bobcats would get. Wheeling added a run in the fourth when Mateo singled, stole second and moved to third before Millians drove him in. The Cardinals tacked on another in the fifth on Noah Gutierrez's RBI single, extending the margin to 8-3. Wesleyan scratched across one more run in the seventh when Lough doubled, Matthew Neach drew a walk, and Malik Wood singled home Lough, but Wheeling closed it out from there for the 8-4 win.
 
Lough paced the Bobcats in game two, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Smith finished 2-for-2 with an RBI, Segura doubled and scored, Neach added a hit and a run, and Wood drove in Wesleyan's final run. Alex Hernandez took the loss after allowing eight runs over 5.1 innings, while Davis Weppler provided 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.
 
Wheeling's Brock Elliott tossed a complete game, scattering eight hits and striking out eight. Mateo led the Cardinals by going 3-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs, and three runs scored.
 
Wesleyan returns to the home mound at Ellis Field again on Sunday, Mar. 22 for a doubleheader with West Liberty University. Start time is 1 p.m. and the forecast is beautiful.