BUCKHANNON, W.Va. - The Point Park baseball team made a strong statement in its Mountain East Conference debut, securing two victories over West Virginia Wesleyan, 3-0 and 10-9. The Pioneers hold a 10-5 overall record and a 2-0 mark in conference play.
 
Game 1
 
Point Park won the first game of the day behind a strong pitching performance and late-inning run support, securing its second shutout victory of the season, 3-0.
 
Pioneer ace Javier Cardoso II made his fourth start of the season and delivered a dominant performance. Through the first four innings, he allowed just two hits while keeping West Virginia Wesleyan off the scoreboard. He finished the game with five strikeouts and two walks.
 
With Cardoso dealing, the Pioneers' offense came alive in the fifth inning. Isaac Santana led off with a walk - his team-leading 10th of the season. Crixtian Taveras followed with a fielder's choice, and after a flyout from Joseph Pilewski, the Pioneers sparked a two-out rally. Luis Gonzalez roped a team-leading seventh double, advancing Pilewski to third. Jordan Campbell then delivered the team's first triple of the season, driving in two runs to break the scoreless tie.
 
Through five innings, Cardoso remained in control, allowing just four hits. He now holds a 2.70 ERA, the third-best mark in the MEC.
 
The Pioneers added an insurance run in the top of the sixth when leadoff hitter Omar Morillo crushed his second home run of the season, extending the Pioneer lead to 3-0.
 
Manager Loren Torres turned to sophomore Harold Boyce out of the bullpen to close out the final two innings. Boyce delivered a lights-out performance, tossing two hitless frames with two strikeouts to secure the save—his team-leading second of the year.
 
Game 2
 
Despite a late surge from West Virginia Wesleyan, the Pioneers held on for a hard-fought 10-9 victory, completing the doubleheader sweep.
 
Omar Morillo began the game with a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved to third on a flyout by Chris Williams. With two outs, the Pioneers' top hitter this season, Jared Campbell, put the team on the board with his team-leading 21st RBI on his first-inning single.
 
Ramon Rodriguez made his fourth start of the season, but the Bobcats jumped on him early, scoring one run in both the first and second innings. In the top of the third, the Pioneers regained the lead with the bases loaded. Although Crixtian Taveras grounded into a double play, he managed to drive in Chris Williams for the RBI as Point Park grabbed a 3-2 lead.
 
Jared Cambell also drove in a run earlier in the third inning – his second of the game to tie the score.
 
In the bottom half, West Virginia Wesleyan erupted for a five-run inning to take a 7-2 lead by the end of the third.
 
Ramon Rodriguez was then replaced by Harold Boyce after the third run. The Pioneers surrendered five runs on three hits and one error in the frame.
 
The Pioneers' offense responded immediately with back-to-back home runs in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Omar Morillo drew his second walk of the game and was driven in by Chris Williams, who launched his first home run of the season to make it 7-5. Jared Campbell followed with a deep shot of his own, tallying his fifth home run of the year (second-most in the MEC). The inning ended with the Pioneers trailing 7-6.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Pioneers reclaimed the lead with a four-run inning. Joseph Pilewski drew a walk, followed by a double from Luis Gonzalez, his team-leading eighth of the season.
 
Pilewski scored on a wild pitch, and Gonzalez was driven in by a Jordan Campbell RBI-double. Edward Mateo capped off the explosive inning with a deep home run, extending the lead to 10-7.
 
The Pioneers' three home runs in the game marked their highest single-game total this season.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Ethan Parker took the mound and delivered two scoreless innings to set up Leon Orlando for the save. Despite allowing two runs in the ninth, Orlando secured the victory by inducing a groundout with the tying run stranded on third.
 
Parker earned his third win of the season, improving to 3-1, while Orlando picked up his first save.
 
Up Next
 
Point Park continues MEC play this weekend with a road doubleheader against Davis & Elkins tomorrow afternoon. Game one is set for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch, followed by game two at 3:30 p.m.
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