Photo by Cody Tomer Linsly’s Dillon Wilson connects on a RBI single during the Cadets’ 13-3 victory over Cameron on Thursday.

By CODY TOMER

Sports Writer

WHEELING — The Linsly baseball team is sprinting out of the gates to start the 2022 baseball season.

The Cadets won their second game in two days on Thursday by a 13-3 victory over Cameron at Holloway Field with the mercy rule in play.

In the first two days of the campaign, Linsly has racked up 25 runs and has only allowed seven.

“We’re just hitting the ball well and doing the little things on the bases,” Linsly coach Jay Cartwright said. “Collin Paull scored from second on a bunt in the fourth inning. That’s just hustle. Those are the little things you like to see early in the season.

“Guys are throwing strikes and we’re getting solid defense, too. Cameron is a solid club but we’re just hitting the ball right now and they’re being disciplined. They are taking pitches early in the count that aren’t strikes. They are on it.”

The Cadets are doing it early in games, too. Following a seven-run first inning on Wednesday, they pushed across six on Thursday in the opening stanza.

In the two days combined, Linsly has sent 23 hitters to the plate in the first inning alone.

“I wish there was a magic recipe where we could have them do this all the time,” Cartwright said. “Our coaches do a great job with these hitters. Coach Jon-Michael Brunner, especially. These guys are ready at the plate. We’re just 2-0 in a 30-game season, though, and we go on the road at University on Monday, so we’ll get ready to go again.”

In Thursday’s explosive first, the first five hitters reached base safely and Adam Och and Brody Selmon drove in a run each, before Alex Taylor and Luca DiLorenzo supplied big two-run knocks to blow the game open early.

Cameron cut into the deficit in the second when Colton Winters supplied a two-run knock but Linsly kept its foot on the gas with a run in the second and third innings and two more in the fourth.

Adam Angel Jr. tallied a RBI hit for the Dragons in the fourth but Jack Scouvart provided a RBI triple in the fifth, followed by a RBI single from Dillon Wilson and a game-ending, bases-loaded walk to Landin Blakely to set the mercy rule into action.

Cade Costanzo earned the win for the Cadets with four innings of two-hit ball, striking out three and walking two in the process.

“Cade Costanzo threw well,” Cartwright said. “I’m really pleased with our pitching this early in the season.”

Coy Angel took the loss for Cameron with three strikeouts, six walks and five hits allowed.

The Dragons have several players who played basketball and are just returning to the field after seeing its state tournament run come to an end on Tuesday.

“We have to get these guys reps,” Coach Adam Angel Sr. said. “Linsly hit the baseball, they pitched well and played defense well. We’ve got Clay-Battelle (today), so hopefully we pitch a little bit better and we’ll move forward and try to win some ball games.”