Salem W.Va. – Charleston swept the Tigers of Salem University after taking a game one victory 6-4 and an extra inning game two victory 4-3.
GAME 1
The Basics:
Location: Nutter Fort
Score: UC 6, SU 4
Records: UC 17-6 (5-2 MEC), Salem 17-8
How it Happened:
The Golden Eagles found themselves trailing in the bottom of the first after allowing he Tigers to plate two runs off no hits. The two runs came with two outs in the inning and were both allowed because of Golden Eagle fielding errors. Charleston responded in the top of the seventh with three runs off four hits. Evan Ulrich and AJ Karosas got things started with back-to-back singles, putting the bat in trace Hartman's hands with runners on the corners. Hartman grounded out to the short stop, advancing Ulrich home on the play for Charleston's first run. The next batter to the plate Carter Rust sent a ball deep for a two-run homer to extend the inning for the Golden Eagles, giving them the 3-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the third the Tigers knotted things up at 3-3 with a solo homerun. Charleston once again responded in the top of the half inning, Carter Rust blasting his second homerun of the game to take the 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth the Tigers once again tied things up, scoring on an error after the batter reached from a leadoff single. The Golden Eagles would keep the damage to a minimum, heading to the top of the sixth tied at 4-4.
The Golden Eagles plated their fifth run of the game off a Trace Hartman solo homerun. Charleston tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh thanks to two Salem errors.
Trey Ritchie closed the game out for Charleston on the bump, not allowing a run and collecting the save in Charleston's 6-4 victory.
GAME 2
The Basics:
Location: Nutter Fort
Score: UC 4, SU 3
Records: UC 18-6 (5-2 MEC), Salem 17-9
How it Happened:
The first three innings of play in game two were scoreless, Charleston finally breaking the 0-0 game with a run off an AJ Karosas triple that scored Hector Carreon Herrera who singled earlier in the inning.
The Tigers finally got on the board in the top of the fifth, plating three runs off two hits. A leadoff walk followed by a bunt single set the stage for a sacrifice bunt. The bunt moved the runners up a bag before the next batter was intentionally walked to load the bases. The next batter reached on a fielder's choice that scored the runner from third and put runners on the corners with two outs. The next Tiger to the plate tripled, scoring both runs and giving Salem the
Charleston responded in the top of the sixth with a single by Hector Carreon Herrera followed up with a Damian Witty double to put two runners in scoring position. AJ Karosas was then walked to load the bases for Charleston. Carter Rust then flew out to right field to score Carreon Herrera and advance Witty to third. Witty then advanced home on a passed ball before the inning was ended by a strikeout, Charleston tying the game at 3-3 heading to the bottom of the sixth.
The Golden Eagles kept the Tigers from scoring in the bottom of the sixth and seventh, forcing extra innings. Charleston got to work in the top of the eighth, plating a run off two hits. With the 4-3 lead, Campbell Spradling headed to the mound where he sat the Tigers down one, two, three to pick up the save in the extra inning win for Charleston.
