INSTITUTE, W.VA. – In their final regular season series of the 2022 campaign, West Virginia State University Baseball suffered a sweep to cross-county rivals Charleston Monday, falling 14-0 and 19-9 at Cal Bailey Field.
It was Senior Day, as nine graduate students or senior Yellow Jackets were honored: Andrew Stone, Andrew Sharp, Matthew Kline, Austin Martin, Daniel Brandon, Brett Christian, Trey Junkins, Dylan Ball, and Cole Kiddy.
In their final contest as YellowStory Text / Teaser Jackets, Stone, Kline, and Junkins each homered. It was Stone's first of the season and the second for each Kline and Junkins.
WVSU finishes the season at 24-20 and 17-15 in the league, while Charleston ends at 33-15 overall and 25-7 in the Mountain East.
GAME 1: WVSU 0, UC 14
The game was a stalemate through two frames, until the Golden Eagles broke through in the third inning with three runs. They then proceeded to score in each the fifth, sixth, and seventh to build a 14-0 victory.
Andrew Stone prevented the no-hitter with a hard liner over shortstop in the third.
With a walk in the seventh, sophomore Ryan Kay has now reached base safely in 15 consecutive contests, but his 14-game hit streak was snapped.
GAME 2: WVSU 9, UC 19
The first inning started eventful for the Yellow Jackets, putting up three runs to take a 3-2 lead. Stone led off the frame with a solo shot to left center and then a wild pitch brought home Junkins, who boarded via hit by pitch. A RBI groundout from Kline brought home freshman Nathan Paulsen, who had singled earlier.
The scoring reversed the following frame, as UC scored three times while State evened the contest once more at 5-5 after plating two runs.
Christian scored after walking to lead off the inning and coming home on a connection from Junkins. Kay then brought home Stone (reached via intentional walk) on a single to even the mark at 5-5.
The Golden Eagles scored 10 times in the fourth to build a commanding lead, then added four more runs in the fifth. The Yellow Jackets attempted to chip away at the lead, as Kline delivered his own farewell homer in the fourth and Junkins launched a two-run shot in the sixth.
Kline scored again in the seventh to keep hope alive, coming home on a UC miscue, as State closed their 2022 chapter with a 9-19 score.
