CARY, N.C. – The West Virginia State University baseball team went on a tear after dropping the first game of the DII Baseball Challenge to Jefferson, 10-8, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. The Yellow Jackets won both of their games on Saturday against Saint Rose and Dominican before defeating Mansfield on Sunday.
West Virginia State improves to 5-10 overall with the trio of victories over the weekend. WVSU will kick off its Mountain East Conference schedule on Saturday, March 14 versus Notre Dame (Ohio) next. The initial game of the doubleheader is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
Game 1: West Virginia State 7, Saint Rose 6, F/9
West Virginia State stole the lead late and defeated Saint Rose 7-6 in the earlier contest on Saturday. The game was tied at four with West Virginia State batting in the bottom of the seventh when Matthew Kline doubled on a 3-1 count, scoring the go-ahead run.
Both offenses were strong at the plate as West Virginia State collected 12 hits and Saint Rose six in the high-scoring affair
The Yellow Jackets fired up the offense in the first inning. West Virginia State scored one run when Andrew Stone singled. WVSU added a second run in the first when Antonio Brown put the ball in play to score Kline from third.
The Golden Knights scored three runs in the fourth inning to claim the lead, 3-2. Stephan MacMeans and Max Gebauer all contributed in the big inning with RBIs.
In the bottom of the fifth, Jared Hunt hit an RBI-single to tie the score at 3-3. Then in the top of the seventh, Saint Rose came up with an RBI-single of its own to reclaim the lead, 4-3.
The bottom of the seventh decided the game. The Yellow Jackets scored four runs with three doubles, a pair of singles, and a sacrifice fly.
The Golden Knights scored once more in the top of the eighth on an error, but it was irrelevant since Dane Peterson retired the side in order in the top of the ninth.
Peterson led the West Virginia State to victory on the hill. He allowed one hit and two runs over two and two-thirds innings.
Jeff Hayner took the loss for Saint Rose. He surrendered four runs on six hits over two innings, striking out two and walking zero.
Clark Reese started the game for the Yellow Jackets. He surrendered four runs on five hits over six and a third innings, striking out five and walking one. John Braun started the game for the Golden Knights. He went five innings, allowing three runs on six hits, striking out four and walking zero.
West Virginia State racked up 12 hits in the game. Antonio Brown, Jared Hunt, and Austin Martin all managed multiple hits for West Virginia State. Hunt and Brown each managed three hits each to lead the Yellow Jackets.
Jack McDonald led Saint Rose with three hits in four at bats.
Game 2: West Virginia State 8, Dominican 2, F/9
West Virginia State had everything working in Saturday's later game, winning big over Dominican, 8-2.
In the first inning, West Virginia State got their offense started. Both Andrew Stone and Antonio Brown drove in two when they singled.
The Chargers scored their only two runs in the third inning with a couple of HBPs when the bases were loaded.
The Yellow Jackets solidified their victory in the seventh inning with a double by Christopher Jordan that cleared the bases, scoring three.
Daniel Brandon was credited with the victory for West Virginia State. He went seven innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out ten. Eric Illar threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen.
Nicholas Galese took the loss for Dominican. He allowed four hits and four runs over four innings, striking out seven.
The Yellow Jackets collected nine hits on the day. Stone and Brown each managed two hits to lead West Virginia State.
Game 3: West Virginia State 11, Mansfield 5, F/9
A six-run third inning led West Virginia State to an 11-5 victory on Sunday. The big inning was thanks to a whopping six hits including doubles by Antonio Brown and Brendan Quinn, a triple by Andrew Stone, and a singles by Brett Christian, Jared Hunt, and Matthew Kline.
Mansfield opened up scoring in the second inning, when Ethan Lauchart induced Zach Spray to hit into a fielder's choice, but one run scored. The Mounties went on to score four more runs in later innings, but they were all meaningless due to WVSU's huge third inning.
The Yellow Jackets tacked on three runs in the fourth inning with RBI-knocks coming from Kline, Stone, and Christopher Jordan. WVSU then added one run each in the seventh and eighth innings to make the margin of victory six runs.
Lauchart was the winning pitcher for West Virginia State. He allowed 11 hits and five runs over seven innings, striking out three and walking zero. William Porter threw two hitless innings in relief out of the bullpen.
Jake Manke took the loss for Mansfield. He allowed five hits and three runs over two and a third innings, walking one.
West Virginia State tallied 14 hits on the day. Stone, Kline, Quinn, and Austin Martin all had multiple hits for the Yellow Jackets. Kline and Stone each managed three hits to lead West Virginia State. Stone impressively accounted for six runs with three RBIs and three runs scored. Two of his hits were three baggers and he notched another stolen base to his season totals.
Mansfield tallied 11 hits. Nate Cotton, Ben Osborn, and Brittain Shander each racked up multiple hits for Mansfield.
