[Baseball] Baseball splits midweek twin bill with Cleary

MARION, N.C. – Baseball split a doubleheader with Cleary University of Michigan Tuesday with an 11-5 win in game one and a 7-6 loss in game two. The Cavs sit at 8-7 with another Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup coming up this weekend.

Game 1: 11-5 Win
The Cavs scored 11 runs on 10 hits in game one, highlighted by a big five-run first inning to get things going. Junior shortstop Joseph Locascio and junior first baseman Peyton Whitehead each recorded two hits in the matchup.

Freshman pitcher Clem Marsilia toughed it out for the victory, going 4.1 innings while giving up four runs on three hits. Marsilia struggled with his command as he walked four batters, but he made pitches to get out of jams.

Junior Christian Gonzalez came on in relief to put out a fire in the fifth and pitched a perfect sixth inning to get the ball to sophomore Will Price who finished the game. Price gave up a solo shot in the seventh, but that was the closest Cleary would come in the matchup.

Game 2: 7-6 Loss
Game two had completely different outcome as Montreat was dealt a loss 7-6 after a sixth inning surge from Cleary.

It was the Cougars' turn to strike first as they put two runs on the board off of James Crowder to take an early lead. The Cavs couldn't put anything together until they dropped a four spot in the fourth highlighted by a two-out run-scoring single by Locascio. The bullpen couldn't hold the lead as Cleary tied it in their half of the fifth.

Once again, Locascio was responsible for getting the Cavs the lead with another two-run scoring single. It was the top of the sixth where the wheels came off as Montreat gave up a bases loaded triple with two outs to lose the lead, and the bats then went quiet for the sixth and seventh as the Cavs lost a tough one.

Up Next: The Cavs travel to West Point, Ga. for a big conference matchup this weekend against AAC foe Point University. Friday's doubleheader begins at 3pm and a single game on Saturday begins at noon.