WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Visiting Shepherd broke open a tight contest with an 8-run uprising in the fourth inning and pulled away to a 19-3 victory against the West Liberty University baseball team in a scheduled 9-inning game Saturday afternoon at Kovalick Field.

The Rams (22-11, 14-4) were clinging to a 2-0 lead before batting around in the top of the fourth to take command. Two home runs and a 3-run double fueled Shepherd's offensive explosion in what proved to be the decisive frame.

The Hilltoppers (6-19, 4-12) got their bats going late, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth and adding a final tally on Taylor Snare's leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth but it was too little, too late for the hosts.

Scott Castilow paced the West Liberty attack with three singles while Andrew Henry weighed in with two hits and an RBI.

The Hilltoppers' longest homestand of the season continues on Tuesday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against West Virginia Wesleyan.

BASEBALL

Shepherd 19, West Liberty 3

Shepherd 002 823 022 – 19  17  4

West Liberty 000 000 021 –   3    8  6

SU: Hvozdovic wp (7SO, 0W), Driver (6) (0SO, 1W), Martin (8) (1SO, 1W) and Murphy. Sluger HR, 2D, S, 5rbi; Hutter HR, D, S, 4rbi; Lott D, 2S, 2rbi

WLU: Polanski lp (1SO, 0W), Jellison (4) (0SO, 3W), Roach (4) (1SO, 0W), Emmerling (6) (1SO, 1W), Knisley (7) (0SO, 0W), Mangino (8) (1SO, 0W), Phares (9) (2SO, 0W) and Mobley. Castilow 3S; Henry 2S, rbi; Snare HR, rbi