Baseball | 4/18/2015 6:07:00 PM
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team divided a Mountain East Conference twinbill with league-leading Shepherd Saturday afternoon at Kovalick Field.
Coach Eric Burkle's Hilltoppers (20-13, 16-10) dropped a 6-1 decision in the first game but handed the Rams (26-8, 26-8) a 4-2 loss in the second game to earn the split. In the opener, Shepherd broke up a tight pitchers' duel with three runs in the top of the fourth and pulled away for the win. Three of the Rams' first four batters walked to open the frame and all three eventually came around to score.
Trailing 4-0, the Hilltoppers had a chance to get back in it when they loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the frame. Jon-Michael Brunner forced in a run by drawing a walk but an infield grounder ended the threat. Two Shepherd hurlers scattered five singles over seven innings. Bub Haddox had two of West Liberty's five hits.
An outstanding pitching performance by Greg Stagani and some timely hitting produced a WLU win in the second game. Stagani gave up single tallies in the first and second innings before slamming the door the rest of the way. The sophomore ace shut down the high-powered Rams on just two harmless singles over the final five innings. Stagani finished with a complete game five-hitter, striking out four and walking two.
Tim Hughes gave West Liberty an early lift with a two-run double in the bottom of the first. Jordan Meyer snapped a 2-2 tie with an RBI double in the bottom of the third and later came sprinting home on a wild pitch to end the scoring. Anthony Pierro also had a pair of base knocks for the hosts. The two teams are scheduled to return to Kovalick Field on Sunday for another 1 p.m. doubleheader.
BASEBALL
Shepherd 6, West Liberty 1
Shepherd 100 310 1 – 6 9 1
West Liberty 000 100 0 – 1 5 1
Shep: Crater wp (1SO, 2W), Martin (6) (1SO, 0W) and Wolfe. Wolfe HR, S, 2rbi; Carney 2S, rbi; Porter D, S; Wilson HR, rbi; Shemer S, rbi
WLU: Smyth lp (4SO, 6W) and Carranza. Haddox 2S
West Liberty 4, Shepherd 2
Shepherd 110 000 0 – 2 5 1
West Liberty 202 000 x – 4 6 0
Shep: Driver lp (1SO, 0W) and Wolfe. Guy 2S; Heleine HR, rbi; Wolfe S, rbi
WLU: Stagani wp (4SO, 2W) and Carranza. Pierro 2S; T.Hughes D, 2rbi; Meyer D, rbi
