Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – The University of Charleston baseball team opened WVIAC Divisional action with a doubleheader split against Bluefield State, Friday evening. The Golden Eagles fell in the first game 1-0, but rebounded to take the nightcap 8-7.
The first contest was dominated by a pitchers dual between UC starter Miles Young (St. Albans, W.Va./St. Albans) and the Big Blues Austin Pratt (Pritchard, W.Va./Marshall Univ.). Each starter surrendered just three hits, yet Bluefield State managed to plate a run in the second inning after a Golden Eagles throwing error.
The lone mistake in the contest for either team proved to be all that was required as the 1-0 lead held up for BSU, while Pratt recorded six strikeouts to Young’s three as each tossed a complete game.
The second contest was dominated by offense as the two team’s bats came alive to combine for 19 hits.
The Golden Eagles early with two runs in the top of the first inning with back-to-back RBI hits by Igor Molina (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs) and Andy Stichter (Inglis, Fla./Dunnellon).
After BSU plated a single run in the third inning UC responded in the fourth with three runs as Ross Easterling (Logan, W.Va./Logan) contributed a two-RBI single, which was followed by a run scoring single by Nick Barnes (Strasburg, Va./Strasburg).
The Big Blues made a comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning as they capitalized on two UC errors to score six runs and take a 7-5 advantage. The Golden Eagles did not wait long to retake control of the contest as Stichter struck again in the sixth with a two-run double to knot the score at 7-7.
Reliever Matt Maus (Hamilton, Ohio/Stephen T. Badin) quieted the BSU bats to set up the Golden Eagles for seventh inning heroics.
In the seventh Bluefield State retired the first two batters before walking No. 9 hitter Ryan Hathaway (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown). Hathaway showed that the Golden Eagles were going to use every bit of life in its three outs as he stole second and third base to get himself in scoring position. After an Easterling walk, Barnes delivered again with an RBI single to give UC the 8-7 lead.
BSU did not pack up after surrendering the lead as they also threatened in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded and two outs. The Golden Eagles countered the Big Blue threat by running Anthony Pagano (Plantation, Fla./Coral Springs Christian) to the mound, which proved to be effective as he recorded a strikeout to end the contest and deliver the 8-7 win for his first save of the season.
Barnes led UC at the plate in the second contest with a 2-for-3 performance along with two RBIs and two runs scored.
The teams will meet again on Saturday, March 20 for a doubleheader at 2:00 pm in Bluefield, W.Va.
