WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – West Liberty and Concord split a Mountain East Conference doubleheader Saturdayafternoon at Kovalick Field.
Coach Eric Burkle's Hilltoppers (22-17, 18-12) blanked the Mountain Lions (26-16, 22-14) by a 4-0 score in the first game before the visitors bounced back with an 8-3 win in the finale. West Liberty ace Mark Smyth was dominant in Game One, shutting down the hard-hitting Mountain Lion lineup on just two singles while striking out seven and walking just two in a complete-game gem. D.J. Busby and Jared Carranza each drove in a run with a double and a single to pace the Hilltopper attack. Tim Mirandy slammed a solo home run and Anthony Pierro added a double. Concord carried a 5-0 lead into the sixth inning of the second game but Mirandy got West Liberty back in the hunt with a three-run circuit blast in the bottom of the sixth. The Mountain Lions tacked on three insurance tallies in the top of the seventh to preserve the split.
Jordan Meyer backed Mirandy at the plate with a pair of singles while Yale Hughes added a double for the Black and Gold. The teams return to Kovalick Field on Sunday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
BASEBALL
West Liberty 4, Concord 0
Concord 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
West Liberty 110 200 x – 4 9 1
Con: Kelly lp (5SO, 0W) and Williams. Groves 2S
WLU: Smyth wp (7SO, 2W) and Carranza. Busby D, S, rbi; Carranza D, S, rbi; Brunner 2S; Mirandy HR, rbi; Pierro D
Concord 8, West Liberty 3
Concord 011 030 3 – 8 9 0
West Liberty 000 003 0 – 3 6 4
Con: Kelly wp (4SO, 4W), Edwards (6) (0SO, 1W) and Williams. Szamski D, S, 3rbi; Frazier D, S, 2rbi
WLU: Stagani lp (3SO, 2W), Hilt (6) (0SO, 2W), Knisley (6) (0SO, 2W) and Carranza. Mirandy HR, S, 3rbi; Meyer 2S; Y.Hughes D
