BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – Glenville State Pioneer Baseball took two more big steps toward securing a berth in the MEC Tournament with a pair of wins over West Virginia Wesleyan on Monday. Game one found a final result of 6-2, with Game two ending in a 8-6 tally for the Pioneers. The day's numbers put GSU now at (25-19) overall and (14-12) in conference, while Wesleyan will drop to (12-31) and (6-20 MEC) on the year. The (4-0) weekend from the Pioneers finds GSU now in a deadlock with Concord for the 3rd and final spot in the MEC Tournament. Almost poetically, the squads are set to face off this coming weekend, with one series in Glenville and the other in Athens, as well as current 2nd place West Virginia State only one game ahead at 15 conference victories. All of these factors have set the stage for an incredible final production for the 2025 regular season as it reaches its close.
Game One – GSU 6 I WVWC 2
It was a fast start that helped push the Pioneers to a victory in game one, with Luke Sweigart bringing home Austin Carter on a fielder's choice and Zach Laurie sending Carlos De Jesus to the promised land on a sacrifice grounder. Lance Minson upped the lead to 3-0 in the 2nd on a double that scored Carter, while Laurie continued to stack up goodwill from DeJesus, sending him around a second time in the top of the 3rd to make things 4-0. Laurie continued his big day in the top of the 5th with another single to score Minson, and Adam Bright threw his hat in on a single to score Sweigart to put the score at 6-0 entering the 6th. While the Bobcat offense picked things up in the 6th with two runs, the Pioneer pitching staff slammed the door shut all day long and put any hopes of a rally to sleep, securing the massive 6-2 division win.
Final Stats
West Virginia Wesleyan
Drew Jrolf had the lone RBI of the day, the other run scoring on a wild pitch. Grant Shumaker was the only Bobcat with multiple hits, and had the only extra base hit with a double. Thatcher Poteat also reached twice, once by hit and walking the other. Alex Hernandez took the loss on the bump, his 6th of the year.
Glenville State
Laurie had a very productive outing with two hits and three RBIs to pave the way for the Pioneer offense. Minson was 4-for-4 in the outing, scoring once and bringing one in. Bright and Sweigart rounded out the Pioneers with an RBI each while De Jesus scored twice and doubled. Trent Taylor stayed unbeaten on the year, picking up his 7th and striking out five in just as many innings of work.
Game Two – GSU 8 I WVWC 6
The Pioneers got off to another racing start in Game two, taking a 6-0 lead by the end of the 3rd inning. Though it seemed like things were written in stone for the 2nd duel, the Bobcats stormed back in the 3rd and 4th inning, scoring five and trimming the lead to one. With the pressure mounting, De Jesus would bring Carter around on a single in the top of the 6th. Sweigart added another important layer of insulation on a groundout that scored Minson, pacing the lead back to three. While it seemed the Bobcats would make a run in the bottom of the 7th, scoring one, the Pioneer arms stepped up in the clutch and stopped the rally in its tracks to secure another big win for the Pioneers, 8-6.
Final Stats
West Virginia Wesleyan
The Bobcats found their groove offensively in Game two, with 14 total baserunners. Shumaker brought around two to lead in RBIs while Luke Burner, Malik Wood and Isaac Lough also had an RBI. Poteat was the only batter with multiple hits, while both he and Wood stole a base. Eli Brogan took his 6th loss of the year after four innings on the hill.
Glenville State
De Jesus left his mark in this game with three RBIs, with Zac Bayor close behind with two after a 2-run shot in the 2nd inning. Sweigart, Minson and Quinn Lenamon also had an RBI in the game. Carter had three hits and was the only multi-hit batter. Austin Corn continued his recent hot streak and picked up his 4th win of 2025.
Up Next For The Pioneers
The all-important series for GSU starts this weekend as they face off with fellow South 3rd place holder Concord for the final spot in the MEC Tournament. Friday's (May 2) action will take place in Glenville and will also be senior day, with the first pitch of game one set for 1 p.m.
