Charleston, W.Va. – The Golden Eagles opened Mountain East Conference play against Wheeling and West Liberty. Charleston took the series from Wheeling and split the series with the Hilltoppers.
 
GAME 1
 
The Basics:
Location: Welch Athletic Complex
Score: UC 9, WU 8
Records: Charleston 6-11 (1-0 MEC), Wheeling 5-6 (0-1 MEC)
 
How it Happened:
The Golden Eagles and the Wheeling Cardinals battled in a back-and-forth contest to open up MEC play on Friday afternoon. The game was a pitchers dual for the first four innings. Charleston's Mason Behn facing the minimum twelve batters and giving up just one hit.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Cardinals cracked open the scoring, plating two runs on two hits and two UC throwing errors. The Golden Eagles responded well in the bottom half of the inning, plating three runs on a Lane Weismiller bases clearing double to left center field. Weismiller then came around to score after on a Damian Witty sacrifice fly to right field later in the inning, giving Charleston a 4-2 lead.
 
The top of the sixth was productive for the Cardinals, plating four runs on three hits and two free passes from Charleston pitching. Now down 6-4, Charleston responded in the bottom of the sixth with two runs on one hit and one Wheeling error, tying the game at 6-6 as the teams headed to the seventh.
 
The seventh inning was scoreless, sending the game to extra innings. After a pair of scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, Wheeling plated two runs in the top of the tenth on just one hit combined with two walks and a wild pitch from Charleston.
 
In the bottom half of the tenth, Alec Mendoza led Charleston off with a bloop single to center field. Evan Ulrich then doubled to left field, putting runners on second and third. Dakota Miller then singled to center field, collecting an RBI, Charleston still trailing 8-7 with no outs and runners on the corners. On the next pitch, Miller stole second, putting two runners in scoring position for Wilfredo Mendez. Mendez waited for his pitch and eventually blasted a double to center field, scoring both runners and walking it off for the Golden Eagles.
 
GAME 2
 
The Basics:
Location: Welch Athletic Complex
Score: UC 3, WU 0
Records: Charleston 7-11 (2-0 MEC), Wheeling 5-7 (0-2 MEC)
 
How it Happened:
The Golden Eagles took the victory in game two over the Cardinals 3-0. Evan Ulrich picked up an RBI in the first inning, scoring Damian Witty from third who led off the inning with a double. Charleston plated their second run of the game in the bottom of the fourth on a Samuel Lemond sacrifice fly. The final run of the game was scored by Charleston in the bottom of the sixth. Wilfredo Mendez and Carter Rust started the inning off with a pair of walks followed by a double steal. Moments later, a pass ball allowed Mendez to score from third to give Charleston the 3-0 advantage.
 
Charleston's pitchers combined for the shutout, allowing just four hits in total. Austin Perando collected the win with four innings pitched while Alec Mendoza collected the save.
 
GAME 3
 
The Basics:
Location: Welch Athletic Complex
Score: UC 1, WLU 0
Records: Charleston 8-11 (3-0 MEC), West Liberty 9-9 (2-1 MEC)
 
How it Happened:
Saturday's first contest of the day was a pitchers dual between the Hilltoppers and the Golden Eagles. Campbell Spradling went the distance for Charleston, throwing a complete game shutout and giving up just three hits and no free passes. The Hilltoppers held Charleston off the scoresheet for the first five innings, but in the bottom of the sixth the Golden Eagles plated the one and only run of the ball game. After back-to-back singles from Miller and Ulrich, Mendez followed with a walk to load the bases. With just one out in the inning, Carter Rust flew out to center field, scoring the runner from third and giving Charleston the 1-0 advantage. Spradling sat the Hilltoppers down in order in the top of the seventh, collecting the win and improving Charleston to 3-0 in MEC play.
 
GAME 4
 
The Basics:
Location: Welch Athletic Complex
Score: UC 0, WLU 3
Records: Charleston 8-12 (3-1 MEC), West Liberty 10-9 (3-1 MEC)
 
How it Happened:
The Hilltoppers led off the scoring in the top of the fourth inning on two hits to go ahead 1-0 over Charleston. They then plated their second and third run in the top of the sixth on three hits and one UC error. The Golden Eagles could not find a run in the sixth or seventh, falling to the Hilltoppers 3-0 to end the weekend. Charleston only found four hits in the game compared to West Liberty's eight.

Up Next:
The Golden Eagles will continue conference play on the road as they head north to take on Frostburg State and Fairmont State this weekend.