Charleston, W. Va – Golden Eagle Baseball improved their record to 33-7 and jumped to first place in the Mountain East Conference Standings after sweeping West Virginia Wesleyan in a Sunday doubleheader. The Charleston pitching staff combined to throw 28 innings while only allowing five runs.
Game One: Charleston 7, Wesleyan 1
For the third time in as many games the Golden Eagles jumped out to a lead in the first inning.
Tyler Dellerman singled home the first run of the contest on a 1-1 pitch that was ripped right back up the middle. Kyle West singled in the inning and McCallister walked to load the bases, setting the stage for Carter Rust, who cleared the bases with a three-run triple.
Clay Hale homered to right in the third to bring the score to 6-0 after three innings. The two-run homer was his sixth of the year and moved him to third on the team in long balls behind West and Dellerman.
The Bobcats scored their only run of the contest in the fourth inning. Sumler surrendered the only run of his start in the frame. He worked 4.0 innings with five strikeouts and no walks en route to his third win of the season.
Drew Beckner slammed the door in the last three innings, striking out four and only walking one to close out the contest.
Hale capped the scoring in the bottom of the fourth, slapping a run scoring single to right to bring the score to 7-1. He ended the game with two hits three RBI, a run scored and a home run.
Klaserner was 1 for 2 with two walks and a run scored. Dellerman had two hits, one RBI and a run.
Game Two: Charleston 2, Wesleyan 1
Sam Slodic got the nod in game two as an opener. The freshman pitched just one inning but was effective in his appearance, striking out two in a scoreless frame.
Gormley entered in the second and gave up two runs, but only one earned. He struck out three and walked none over 2.0 innings.
He gave way to the pitcher of record, Dane Sykes. Sykes picked up his second win of the year as he finished the game by throwing four scoreless innings with just one hit and five strikeouts.
Once again, the offense got on the board in the first. Martinez snuck a home run over the right field fence. The three run shot was the first of the season for the junior and gave Charleston a 3-0 lead after one inning.
Hererra singled home one in the second to bring the score to 4-0 before Klaserner extended the lead to 6-0 with a two-run single of his own in the same frame.
Hale knocked in one in the third on a single to center field. Hererra tallied his second hit of the game, a triple to center that scored one run and brought the score to 8-0.
Wesleyan added two runs in the fourth to cut the lead to 8-2 with both runs coming on singles to right field.
Kyle West singled home a run in the fourth and later scored on a wild pitch to cap that scoring at 10 for the Golden Eagles.
Hererra was the only hitter with multiple hits in game two. He finished 2 for 3 with two RBI and one run scored.
Klaserner was 1 for 3 with two stolen bases and two RBI. Martinez had just one hit but it was a three run blast that provided all the runs the Golden Eagles would need for game two.
They clinched a spot in the MEC tournament with the game one victory. The two wins improved Charleston's record to 33-7 overall and at 21-3 they moved to first in the Mountain East Conference South Division standings.
The sweep also moved Charleston to third in the Atlantic Region standings, their highest regional ranking since 2021.
The Golden Eagles will travel to Athens, W. Va next weekend to face off against the Mountain Lions of Concord University in a big four game series.
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