CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charleston celebrated Senior Day on Sunday with a pair of wins over their Kanawha Valley rival, West Virginia State University, at Triana Field getting masterful performances from senior starting pitchers Kaleb Kinder and Anthony Zona.  The Sunday sweep of the Yellow Jackets put the Golden Eagles at the 30-win mark, giving them back-to-back 30+ win seasons for the first time in program history.
 
THE BASICS

FINAL SCORES      G1 – University of Charleston 5, W.Va. State 4
                                 G2 – University of Charleston 3, W.Va. State 1
                                    
 
LOCATION              Charleston, W.Va. (Triana Field)
RECORDS                Charleston (30-20, 22-10); W.Va. State (28-20, 17-15)

THE GAMES
 
GAME 1
A four-run third inning aided by Ryan Hunt two-RBI triple down the left field line put the Golden Eagles ahead 4-0 to give Charleston starter Kaleb Kinder some room to work with.  The senior right-hander kept the Jackets off balance until the fourth when WVSU was able to string some hits together and push three runs across and make it a one-run game at 4-3.  Charleston got one of the runs back later in the inning when Brice Arrington lead off UC's half of the fourth with a solo blast over the right field fence to put the Golden Eagles ahead 5-3.  
 
The homerun proved crucial as the Jackets closed the gap to 5-4 in the seventh, but a spectacular run-saving, diving catch from Colby Johnson in center helped Jordan Peck earn his second career save as the freshman closer got a weak pop-up to end the game.
 
GAME 2
Anthony Zona won Sunday evening's pitcher's duel with WVSU's Andrew Stone as the senior right-hander earned the complete-game 3-1 win against the Yellow Jackets.  Colby Johnson put Charleston ahead early with a solo shot to left, his team-leading eighth HR of the season, to give the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead after one. Senior second baseman Will Lucas made the most of his last game at Triana Field in the second frame, tripling past the Yellow Jacket right fielder that scored a pair to put the Golden Eagles up 3-0 after two.
 
Zona worked out of a third inning jam allowing just one after three consecutive Yellow Jacket singles led off the frame.  It would be the only tally WVSU would put up against the starter as Zona moved to 5-1 on the 2018 season and gave the MEC South Division Champion Golden Eagles their second straight 30-win campaign.
 
UP NEXT
Charleston enters the MEC Baseball Championships as the No.1 seed in the South Division and will face Notre Dame College, the North Division No. 3 seed, to open play at the tournament.  This week's tournament will be held at Epling Stadium in Beckley, W.Va. starting on Thursday afternoon.  First pitch with the Falcons is set for 3:30 p.m.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL