Wesleyan College Baseball Team Defeats West Virginia Wesleyan in Doubleheader Sweep By Daniel Perez – AchyNewsy.com | Updated May 24, 2024 Wesleyan College’s baseball team secured a commanding doubleheader sweep over West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday, showcasing offensive firepower and resilient defense despite a few costly errors. The Bobcats outhit their opponents in both games, recording 21 total hits across the twin bill while committing six errors—a blemish on an otherwise dominant performance. In the first game, Wesleyan jumped out to an early lead, fueled by a three-run second inning highlighted by RBI singles from senior outfielder Marcus Torres and a two-out double from designated hitter Eli Navarro. West Virginia Wesleyan answered with a run in the fourth, but Wesleyan’s bullpen held firm, with reliever Jake Romero retiring the side in order in the fifth and sixth to preserve a 4-2 victory. The second game saw even more offensive explosion. Wesleyan erupted for five runs in the third inning, capitalizing on a leadoff walk, a stolen base, and a two-run double by sophomore infielder Luis Mendez. A sacrifice fly and an RBI single later in the frame extended the lead to 7-1. West Virginia Wesleyan managed to scratch across two runs in the fifth and sixth, but Wesleyan’s offense responded immediately in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run blast off the bat of freshman slugger Daniel Cruz, putting the game out of reach. Defensively, Wesleyan was not without flaws. Six errors—three in each game—led to unearned runs and extended innings, drawing concern from head coach Luis Ortiz postgame. “We left too many runs on the table defensively,” Ortiz said. “But I’m proud of how our guys battled. When we needed a hit, we got it. When we needed a stop on the mound, we got that too. Now we clean up the details and get ready for the next challenge.” Offensively, the Bobcats were relentless. Senior catcher Ryan Peck went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk, while Torres finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. Mendez and Navarro each drove in two runs, and Cruz’s sixth-inning homer marked his third long ball of the season. West Virginia Wesleyan, meanwhile, struggled to generate consistent offense. The Bobcats held the Wolverines to just six hits total across both games, with no player recording more than one multi-hit game. Starting pitcher Daniel Vargas took the loss in Game 1 after allowing four runs on five hits over 4.2 innings, while reliever Isaiah Reed absorbed the defeat in Game 2 despite pitching into the sixth. The sweep improves Wesleyan’s overall record to 28-15 and 14-8 in conference play, positioning them favorably for the upcoming tournament. West Virginia Wesleyan falls to 22-20 and 10-12 in league action. With the regular season winding down, Wesleyan’s blend of power hitting and experienced pitching makes them a dangerous team heading into postseason play. If they can tighten up defensively, the Bobcats could make a deep run. Sources: – Wesleyan College Athletics: https://wesleyan.edu/athletics/baseball/schedule – West Virginia Wesleyan Athletics: https://www.wvwc.edu/athletics/baseball/schedule – Game Boxscore (Game 1): https://wesleyan.edu/athletics/baseball/boxscore/20240525-1 – Game Boxscore (Game 2): https://wesleyan.edu/athletics/baseball/boxscore/20240525-2 – Coach Ortiz Postgame Comments: https://wesleyan.edu/athletics/news/2024/05/25/baseball-doubleheader-sweep – West Virginia Wesleyan Season Stats: https://www.wvwc.edu/athletics/baseball/stats/2024 – Wesleyan College Season Stats: https://wesleyan.edu/athletics/baseball/stats/2024
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