WASHINGTON, Pa. - - Pitching ruled the day Sunday as UVa-Wise claimed a doubleheader sweep of host Wheeling Jesuit at Wild Things Park. Sophomore RJ Vanvickle fired a complete game, three-hit shutout in the opener while fanning a career-high 11 before the Cavaliers' bullpen tossed 5 1/3 innings of one run ball as the team rallied for a 7-4 win in the finale. Game two also saw history as UVa-Wise redshirt senior Brett Yates became the 13th player in program history to record 150 career hits by going 2-for-3 in the win.
Vanvickle and Wheeling Jesuit (2-12, 1-3 MEC) hurler Josh Bell engaged in a back-and-forth pitcher's duel in the opener. The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth when the Cavaliers (9-12, 3-1 MEC) took advantage of an error to score the game's only run.
Junior catcher Tyler Blaum reached on a throwing error with one out before going first-to-third when Tristan Peccerelli singled through the right side of the infield with Blaum running on the pitch. A hitter later, Jordon Turner lifted a sacrifice fly down the right field line to score Blaum.
It would be all the offense Vanvickle would need as the sophomore kept Jesuit hitters off balance with his slider. The Cardinals had runners on second and third with two outs in the fourth only to see Vanvickle induce an inning ending groundout.
An inning later, Jesuit squandered its best scoring opportunity of the day. Colin Caven doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a balk with nobody out. Vanvickle would strikeout Bijan Kamalipour looking before Nick Seranfino was ruled out when he leaned into a two-strike pitch. Having struck out two consecutive hitters, the hurler fanned Jacob Murray looking on a slider to end the threat.
It would be the last time the Cardinals would have a runner in scoring position as Vanvickle struck out one in the sixth and two in the seventh, including Serafino for the final out of the game.
The 108-pitch effort featured nine ground outs to go with the 11 punch outs. It was the first career complete game shutout for the Fredericksburg, Va. native.
Blaum had two of the four hits for UVa-Wise to lead the offense; Lucas Rawlins had two of the three hits for Jesuit.
The Cardinals raced out to a 2-0 lead after an inning of play in game two on a two-run double by Lucas Rawlins.
An inning later, Jesuit pushed its lead to 3-0 on an RBI single by Nick Serafino.
From there, the Cavs began their comeback. With two outs and nobody on, Yates singled before David Thomas was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Blaum then laced a run-scoring single before Tristan Peccerelli made it a one-run game with a RBI his of his own.
The score would remain unchanged until the home fourth when Colin Caven's solo homer put the Cardinals in front 4-2.
In the fifth, two men reached before Thomas laid down a sacrifice bunt. An errant throw would allow Thomas to reach and Roberts to score; after retrieving the ball, the Cardinals then committed another error allowing Yates to score to tie the game. The scoring continued as Peccerelli, Turner and Matthew Church added an RBI each in the big frame.
Thompson would shut Jesuit down over the final three innings as he fanned five, walked one and allowed two hits to improve to 1-2 on the year.
Peccerelli joined Yates with two hits in the win while Yates and Thomas scored two runs each.
The doubleheader completes a season opening 22-game road trip for UVa-Wise. The Cavs started the season 0-8 but head to Stallard Field winners of nine of their last 13 games. UVa-Wise will host Notre Dame College in a doubleheader Saturday before entertaining Urbana University in a doubleheader Sunday.
