Bluestone News

The Concord University baseball team split a doubleheader at Notre Dame Sunday afternoon in Mountain East Conference play, winning the first game 3-1 before being defeated 5-4 in the nightcap, at Mercy Health Stadium.

Concord is now 9-12 on the season and 5-1 in the MEC. Notre Dame sports a record of 2-13 overall and 2-4 versus the conference.

Game 1: Concord 3 – Notre Dame 1
Senior pitcher Andrew Neff (5-1) held NDC in check at the plate, and a clutch two-run home run in the fifth inning by junior infielder Daniel Layne was the difference.

Notre Dame got to Neff in the second inning with a two-out, run-scoring single to take the early lead.

The Falcons were able to keep the Mountain Lions from generating any offense early on until a two-out double from graduate outfielder Kyle Keenan in the top of the fourth inning. The extra-base knock was followed by an RBI single from junior infielder Chris Satcher.

A leadoff double from junior outfielder D.J. Christian Jr. in the fifth gave CU its first opportunity to take the lead. The next batter, Layne, smacked his second home run of the season out to right field to give Concord a 3-1 edge.

After the second inning, Neff faced just two over the minimum the rest of the way as he retired the side in order in both the sixth and seventh. After coming out of the bullpen to start the second inning, Neff allowed just one run on two hits over six innings. Neff tallied six strikeouts and sits at 199 for his career.

Five different players accounted for one hit for CU with Layne driving in two runs.

Game 2: Notre Dame 5 – Concord 4
A seesaw battle ended with Notre Dame getting a walkoff victory over the Mountain Lions.

The game was tied three different times at 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4.

Concord's first lead came in the second inning as Layne picked up where he left off with an RBI double in the second inning after a leadoff single form Christian. Three batters later, now with two outs in the inning, junior infielder Zack Saryeldin came through with a single up the middle to plate Layne.
NDC had an answer with two runs in the bottom of the second.

The Mountain Lions came right back with a two-out, run-scoring hit from senior catcher Hunter Steel in the top of the third. However, the lead of was short lived as Notre Dame scored in the bottom of the frame.

With the game getting late, CU went to a safety squeeze bunt in the fifth to take back a 4-3 edge. Layne's bunt brought in sophomore infielder Brendan Brady who had walked to start the inning, and moved to third on a single from Christian.

Again, a two-out knock from the Falcons tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth.

Concord pushed the go-ahead run to third in the sixth and loaded the bases in the seventh, but was unable to score.

Notre Dame scored the game's winning run on a fielder's choice as NDC's Johnny Costella beat out a potential double play ball with one out.

Graduate outfielder Josh Adkins, Christian and Saryeldin all had tow hits. Layne drove in two more runs in the nightcap.

Sophomore pitcher/infielder Rylee Nicholas (1-4) tossed four innings as he gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out four.

Concord continues its road trip 1:00 p.m. Monday at Alderson Broaddus. 

Original source can be found here