Baseball Splits Day One Against Alderson Broaddus - Wheeling University Athletics (2024)

Terry Hanco*ck

• Box Score 1
• Box Score 2

Game Recap: Baseball | 4/29/2023 10:14:00 PM

Philippi, W. Va. – After rain poured through West Virginia late on Friday, things cleared up as the Wheeling University Baseball team (24-19, 13-13) opened their four-game weekend set with Alderson Broaddus. It was a day ruled by the pitchers, as the two teams split the day and combined to score 12 runs between the two games. Alderson Broaddus picked up a walk-off win in game one 5-4 while the Cardinals were able to bounce back and earn a 3-0 win in game two to even the series at one win apiece.

Game One: Alderson Broaddus 5, Wheeling 4

The first game of the weekend saw Wheeling send one of their top pitchers in Kenny Jinks to the mound. Jinks began the day strong with a 1-2-3 first inning, and struck out three batters in a row for the first two outs of the second. He allowed a two-out single for the first Battler hit of the game, but was able to strand him to keep it 0-0 after two innings. Wheeling would be first on the board in the top of the third after Spencer Craig reached on a one-out walk. He moved to second on a passed ball before a groundout moved him to third with two outs. Jacob Murray would then come up and delivered a clutch two-out single to score Craig and make it a 1-0 Wheeling lead. Alderson Broaddus responded in the bottom of the third and the game was tied at 1-1 after three innings.

Wheeling would get the lead back in the top of the fifth when Murray was hit by a pitch with one out. Two batters later, Thomas Kegerreis was hit by a pitch as the Cardinals had runners on first and second with two outs. Scott Kondroik would step in and singled to right field to score Murray and make it a 2-1 game. A passed ball brought Kegerreis home and heading into the bottom of the fifth it was a 3-1 Wheeling lead. However, Alderson Broaddus had an answer ready as they scored two of their own in the bottom of the fifth and it was once again tied at 3-3. Wheeling retook the lead for their starter in the top of th sixth after Christian Boyles reached on an error. Braden Killens stepped in with an RBI double and after five and a half it was Wheeling 4, Alderson Broaddus 3 as Jinks's day was over.

He lasted 5.0 innings allowing three runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out six batters. He gave way to reliever Kyle Dalton, who ended up giving up two runs in the bottom of the sixth as the Battlers took a 5-4 lead. He allowed three hits in the inning, with an RBI double and an RBI single were the big blows. Hunter Dyck came in to get the final out of the inning and the Cardinals looked to get on the board in the top of the seventh. Wheeling would load the bases with one out, before a fielder's choice cut down the runner at home and left the bases loaded. A flyout would end the inning and the Cardinals ended up falling to the Battlers 5-4.

Christian Boyles had the lone Multi-Hit game at the top of the lineup, going 2-5 with a run scored. Eight of the nine Cardinals got a hit on the day as Boyles proved to be a table setter. The three Cardinal RBI came from three different players as Jacob Murray, Braden Killens, and Lucas Rawlins each drove in runs. Murray and Rawlins each finished 1-3 with an RBI while Braden Killens finished 1-4 with an RBI. The Cardinals would look to bounce back in game two and earn the split.

Game Two: Wheeling 3, Alderson Broaddus 0

The second game of the day was a pitcher's duel through and through, with the first runs of the night not coming until the sixth inning. Johendry Colmenares got the start for the Cardinals and turned in one of his best outings of the 2023 season so far. He retired the first five batters he faced before allowing a two-out single for the first Battler hit of the game. He would allow just one more single on the night and kept the game at 0-0 after three innings of work. Colmenares's day would be done after those three innings as he allowed just two hits while walking one and striking out four to end the day. The Cardinals turned to the bullpen and Jake Rife came in and delivered a similar outing to Colmenares.

He was just as dominant on the mound, allowing just two base runners both via the walk. It was still a 0-0 game entering the sixth, before Christian Boyles got things started with a double. The next batter was Kobe Hill, and he would reach on an error that allowed Boyles to score and made it a 1-0 Wheeling lead. Braden Killens followed with an RBI single that scored Hill and made it a 2-0 Wheeling lead. After the first two outs of the inning, Killens got into scoring position when he swiped second. Thomas Kegerreis reached on an infield single to put runners at the corners and a passed ball would bring home Killens to make it a 3-0 game. With the scoreless tie broken, the Cardinal's pitching staff would look to keep their dominance going.

Rife would finish with a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth as he finished our a dominant night. He ended up throwing 3.0 innings allowing just one hit while walking two and striking out five. Hunter Dyck would come in to finish the day as he picked up his fifth save of the season, allowing one hit, and closing out the Cardinals 3-0 victory. With the win and a pair of Notre Dame College losses today, the Cardinal's magic number to clinch a playoff spot drops to four heading into the second day of the series on Monday.

Thomas Kegerreis had a perfect day at the plate, going 2-2, while Christian Boyles went 2-4 as the two Cardinals to finish with multiple hits. The two RBI on the day came courtesy of Kobe Hill and Braden Killens, with Killens going 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI. With the split of day one, the Cardinals look to come back on day two of the series and pick up a big series win.

The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Monday, May 1st, when they play the final two games of their four game series with first pitch at 12 PM.