BECKLEY, W.Va. -- After Shepherd forced a decisive second game, the University of Charleston rallied back to win game two 10-7 and claim the 2018 Mountain East Conference Baseball Championship.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORES Shepherd University 24, University of Charleston 2
University of Charleston 10, Shepherd University 7
LOCATION Beckley, W.Va. (Linda K. Epling Stadium)
RECORDS Charleston (34-21, 22-10); Shepherd (38-15)
HOW IT HAPPENED
With the win, the Golden Eagles (34-21) secured the MEC's automatic berth into the NCAA field. It is the first NCAA Tournament berth for the UC baseball program. Shepherd (38-15) will wait to see if it garners at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament when the field is announced on Sunday night.
In the first game, Shepherd pounded out 24 runs on 27 hits in a 24-2 route of the Golden Eagles. The Rams jumped out with five runs in the top of the first, added three more in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth to build an insurmountable 13-0 lead after four. The 24 runs was an MEC Tournament record.
Ryan Potts, who started the first game of the tournament on Thursday, got the ball again on Sunday and pitched well giving up two runs on 11 hits with seven strikeouts and three walks to pick up his 11th win of the season. Nic Hammer pitched a clean final two innings to complete the job.
Brenton Doyle was 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs, and Justin Smith was 3-for-5 with five RBI. Eric Sloper had three hits and scored three times and Eddie Nottingham had three hits.
Hayden Cartt was 3-for-4 for Charleston in the game. Starter Anthony Zona lasted just a third of an inning and took the loss. Levi Nash pitched five innings of middle relief.
Charleston started quickly in game two with two runs in the top of the first inning. Steven Davis, the MEC Tournament MVP, provided the RBI with a single to right. The Golden Eagles would tack on another in the top of the second, and Justin Smith got Shepherd on the board in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to open the inning.
UC started to pull away in the top of the fourth with four more runs 9-1. Shepherd scored one in the bottom half of the fourth and made a rally with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 9-6. Chase Hoffman hit a home run Brenton Doyle and Justin Smith each added RBI hits to spark the Rams in the inning. A solo shot from Brian McCourt cut the UC lead to just 9-7 after six innings.
UC scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth to stretch the lead to 10-7, but Jacob Kaiser finished things off in the ninth getting three straight outs after giving up a leadoff single. Kaiser got the save in relief after pitching 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Jordan Peck got the win pitching 3.0 innings allowing one run on four hits in relief of starter Adam Jafine. Jafine, who started on Thursday, lasted 4.1 innings giving up six runs (five earned) on seven hits before turning things over to the bullpen.
Jack Brunetti went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI in game two, and Davis and Hayden Cartt each added two hits and two RBI. Brice Arrington, Colton Bauer, Austin Hathaway and Colby Johnson each had two hits for UC.
Smith was 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Shepherd offense. Christian Hamel and McCourt added two hits apiece.
Wes Martin took the loss after lasting 3.0 innings giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits.
2018 MEC All-Tournament Team
Justin Retzer (West Liberty)
Justice Jackson (West Liberty)
Austin Barnhart (Notre Dame)
Zach Santoro (Notre Dame)
Justin Potts (Shepherd)
Justin Smith (Shepherd)
Nick Atkinson (Shepherd)
Austin Hathaway (Charleston)
Austin Henrich (Charleston)
Brice Arrington (Charleston)
MVP-Steven Davis (Charleston)
