Wheeling (WV) scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to take the opener, 5-4, before scoring nine runs over the final two innings to complete the sweep with an 11-6 win over the Mountain Cats in game two to wrap up a four-game, non-conference series in Charleston, W.Va., Monday afternoon.
Justin Turcovski belted a three-run home run and drove in five for Pitt-Johnstown, n ow 1-4.
In game one, Nicholas Ancelet scored on a
Jared Dowey wild pitch to give Wheeling a 1-0 lead after one inning, but the Mountain Cats used an RBI single from
Erik Rhodes and a sacrifice fly from
Alex Neidig to go in front, 2-1, in the top of the second.
The Cardinals quickly tied it on Christian Boyle's RBI double in the bottom of the frame, then regained the lead, 4-2, with a pair or runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Pitt-Johnstown answered to knot it at four in the fifth on a Turcovski triple that scored
Cam Donaldson and
Alex Ebeling, but the Cardinals regained the lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth.
The Mountain loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Matt Sanfilippo was able to get the final out to preserve Wheeling's one-run win.
Turcovski went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI, while Rhodes and Neidig each drove in one for Pitt-Johnstown.
Zach Myers suffered the loss in relief and fell to 0-1 after allowing the unearned run in the bottom of the sixth. Dowey pitched the first three-plus innings, and allowed three runs on four hits, while striking out two and walking three.
In the nightcap, Michael Norton led off the home half of the second with a solo homer, before the Cardinals added one more in the third to take an early 2-0 lead.
Pitt-Johnstown struck for three runs in the fifth to take the lead on an RBI single from Donaldson and back-to-back triples from
Zac LeGars and
Aidan Steinbugl.
However, Wheeling scored two runs in the fifth and added seven more in the sixth, before Turcovski's three-run home run set the final at 11-6.
Along with Turcovski's 3-run homer, the Mountain Cats also got a double, a triple and an RBI from Steinbugl, a triple and an RBI from LeGars, and an RBI single from Donaldson.
Brian Pirone took to loss after surrendering two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.
Seth Shuey started and gave up two runs on four hits over the first 2.1 innings.
Wheeling is now 3-1 to start the year.
The Mountain Cats travel to Canton, Ohio to play doubleheaders against West Liberty (WV) on Saturday and Malone (OH) on Sunday, before visiting the University of Charleston (WV) for a 3-game series on March 8 and 9. Pitt-Johnstown is scheduled to make its 2025 home debut on March 15 when it hosts Bloomsburg for a non-conference doubleheader at Point Stadium.
