Sports
May 2, 2008
WVC baseball: Jackets avoid an early exit

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - West Virginia State had its 12-game winning streak snapped, but the Yellow Jackets bounced back and avoided elimination on the first day of competition at the West Virginia Conference baseball tournament.

Shepherd pounded out 17 hits en route to a 13-5 victory over the Jackets in the morning session, but State smacked around Pitt Johnstown 10-1 in the final game of the night to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament. The loss to the Jackets ended UPJ's first trip to the WVC tourney.

State's next opponent will be determined this morning, when Alderson-Broaddus plays Concord at 9:30. If the Battlers win, Concord will be eliminated and State will face the loser of today's 1 p.m. Shepherd-West Virginia Wesleyan game at 4:30 p.m. If Concord wins, State will take on the Mountain Lions at 8 p.m.

The Jackets ensured they would play another day by jumping on Pitt Johnstown early Friday night. State plated three runs in the first and third innings and built a 10-0 lead entering the bottom of the ninth inning. The Mountain Cats spoiled the shutout in the final frame as pinch hitter Nich Barbera scored on a wild pitch.

Right fielder Bo Darby smacked a three-run homer for State (33-12) in the first inning and left fielder James Broderick added a three-run bomb in the third.

Todd McQuistion picked up the win, scattering five hits and allowing just one run over 81/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked two. Ben Watkins was saddled with the loss after giving up four hits and six runs in only three innings.

Against the Rams, State fell behind early and trailed 6-4 after three innings. Chad Chambers' run-scoring single pulled the Jackets to within a run at 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Shepherd responded with five runs in the top of the sixth and never looked back. Catcher Brett Caplan and right fielder Neil Toothman each had a pair of RBIs during the uprising.

Travis McGrath (7-3) started and took the loss for the Jackets, allowing 10 hits and 10 runs (six earned) over 51/3 innings. He walked five and struck out 10. Nathan Koepsel, Jake Kight and Evan Kendall combined for 32/3 innings of relief, surrendering seven hits and three runs.

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