CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Fairmont State University baseball faced Glenville State in the first game of the Mountain East Conference Tournament. In a high-scoring affair, Cameron Moore pushed the Falcons to a 19-11 win over the Pioneers.
 
In the first inning, Glenville State opened the scoring as a miscue in the outfield allowed two runs to score. Starter Zane Loveday struck out the next batter and then a ground out to end the inning.

Fairmont State came up to bat in the top of the second as Cameron Sheets hit a single to center field. Micah Canterbury followed with a double as Quintin Reep lifted a ball to left field. The ball got lost in the bright sun as it fell to the turf, scoring Sheets.

Vince Sabatino was then hit by a pitch as Zach Brennan stepped in the box. Brennan lined one to center as Micah Canterbury scored to even the score. The Falcons added one more run as Reep scored on a fielder's choice to give FSU a 3-2 edge.

Moving to the bottom of the third, the Pioneers registered their first hit with a double to left field. A wild pitch allowed the runner to move to third. With two outs, the home team hit a single to left field and squared the game at three.

As the FSU bats went a bit silent, Glenville State looked to recapture the lead. After two outs, GSU drew a walk and hit a single to have runners on the corners. The runner on first stole second base and on the play, the ball was dropped at second allowing the runner from third to score and make it a 4-3 game.

In the fifth inning, the Pioneers threatened as the bases were loaded with one out. Andrew Coursin shut the door on the opportunity with a strikeout and a fly ball to left field. Leading off the sixth, Sheets hit a 2-0 pitch about 400 feet over the left field wall to tie the game at four.

Glenville State had runners on the corners in the bottom half of the sixth with two outs as Coursin delivered another out, this time an infield fly to second base. With the Falcons back in the box, Cameron Moore led off with a single before Ryan Goff laid down an absolutely perfect bunt that stayed inside the first base line for a single.

Quintin Smith lined one down the right field line for a double as Moore scored to give FSU the 5-4 lead. Noah Canterbury was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs but the Falcons were unable to bring in another run as the score remained 5-4 going to the bottom of the seventh.

The Pioneers started the seventh off with a runner reaching on an error. After a stolen base and a walk, the home team had runners on first and third with one out. A sacrifice fly to center brought in the tying run going to the eighth.

Vince Sabatino worked a lead off walk in the eighth. After a sacrifice bunt by Brennan, Moore belted one to right center for the two-run homer and the 7-5 advantage for the Falcons. Following a pitching change and an out, Smith added the difference with a solo shot over left field.

Three-straight walks loaded the bases for Reep as he singled through the middle of the infield bringing in Connor Bailey and Sheets to make it a 10-5 game. A second time through, Sabatino drew another walk before Brennan hit an infield single to drive in Micah Canterbury.

Already with a home run in the frame, Moore tripled to straight-away center to clear the bases and give Fairmont State a nine-run lead, 14-5. In the bottom half of the eighth, the Pioneers quickly went to work with a lead off home run.

Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for GSU. On the first pitch of the at-bat, the Pioneers hit a grand slam and made it a four-run game (14-10). Nick George took over the bump and started to deal with back-to-back strikeouts. He then forced a weak fly ball to center to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Smith reached base after being hit by a pitch. An error allowed him to move to second base as Sheets was intentionally walked. Reep then hit an infield single and after a throwing error, Smith crossed home to make it 15-10.

Brennan kept the momentum going with an RBI single to right field as Sheets crossed home. Moore had the hot bat and it stayed that way as he hit a three-run double to left field to increase the lead back to nine (19-10).

Glenville State started the ninth with a walk but a strikeout made it one out. A single to left field followed by an error brought in a run for the home team. Logan McClure then got a fly ball to right as the Pioneers were down to their final out. With two strikes, McClure induced a fly ball to center field to secure the eight-run victory.

The win is the Falcons first MEC Tournament win since the 2017 season. Andrew Coursin picked up the win, pitching three innings in relief, allowing just one run (unearned). Cameron Moore totaled four hits and completed the cycle while driving in nine runs.

Fairmont State now faces West Virginia State on Friday, May 10 at GoMart Ballpark. Start time is set for 3:30 p.m.