CLARKSBURG, W.Va. - - Fans of the long ball enjoyed Sunday afternoon's baseball doubleheader between Salem International and UVa-Wise. Game one featured a quartet of homeruns, including what proved to be the game-winner, a solo blast off the bat of Salem's Austin Whetzel in the home sixth to give his club a 4-3 triumph before UVa-Wise belted three homers en route to a 10-2 victory in the finale.
UVa-Wise (1-8) halted a season opening eight-game losing skid in the game two win behind early offense and solid mound work.
Junior catcher Tyler Blaum lined a solo homer over the left field wall to give his club a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before fellow junior Jordon Turner pushed the lead to 2-0 on a run-scoring single down the right field line in the second inning. An inning later, the Cavaliers continued to play add-on as Dawson Cagle plated Blaum on a sacrifice fly.
It would be all the run support right-handed hurler Greg Duncan would need. The junior recorded four of the first six outs by strikeout, three of which came off of Salem (5-7) batters taking called strike three.
The early strikeout success continued for the Centreville, Va. product as he matched his career-high by fanning eight Tigers over five innings of work to improve to 1-0 on the year. Duncan scattered three hits allowing an unearned run over five innings of work to go with his five punch outs. The pitcher did issue a walk, it was his first of the year; his strikeout-to-walk ratio stands at 23:1 through 15 innings pitched.
The Tigers got on the board in the fourth on an earned run, Noah Suarez's RBI groundout plated Whetzel to make it a 3-1 game at the time.
An inning later, Hank Banner's team busted the game open as Tristan Peccerelli blasted a three-run homer to centerfield, his first of the year, as part of a six-run frame that made it a 9-1 contest.
Freshman Tyler Hayes would pitch the final two innings of the win for the Cavs as he allowed an unearned run while striking out two, walking one and surrendering a hit in the relief effort.
Blaum finished the game a triple shy of the cycle to lead a 12-hit effort for UVa-Wise. Brett Yates went 2-for-5 from his leadoff position while Peccerelli finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored to go with his homerun.
Salem had just six baserunners in the game and no player had more than one hit.
Game one was more of a pitcher's duel as Landon Faulkner of UVa-Wise and Walker Dodero of Salem traded scoreless innings until the top of the third when senior David Thomas gave the Cavs a 1-0 lead when he knocked in Bluam with a run-scoring single.
The Tigers tied the game on Tyler Ault's RBI groundout in the third inning before Gabe Wurtz put UVa-Wise back in front with a solo blast in the fourth. An inning later, Yates launched a solo homer to give his team a 3-1 lead after 4 ½ innings of action.
The Cavs would be unable to hold it as Ault's two-run homer tied the game in the fifth before Whetzel's game-winning shot in the sixth allowed the hosts to take game one of the doubleheader.
Sam Chapman (1-0) picked up the mound win in relief. The right-hander allowed a run in two innings of work while striking out three; Brendan Case earned his first save of the year by retiring UVa-Wise in order in the seventh.
The Cavs will be back in action at 12 p.m. tomorrow when the team plays a doubleheader against Alderson Broaddus University.
