Baseball | 3/26/2016 10:47:00 AM
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – West Liberty's Greg Stagani struck out 14 West Virginia Wesleyan batters and didn't walk a batter in firing a one-hit shutout on Friday to cap the Hilltoppers' doubleheader sweep of the Bobcats at Kovalick Field. West Liberty (14-5, 5-1) pounded out an 8-3 win in the first game before riding Stagani's strong right arm to a 2-0 victory in the finale.
The junior mound ace from Richmond, Ohio overmatched the West Virginia Wesleyan (7-12, 0-6) lineup from the start, retiring the first 19 batters he faced.
With one out in the top of the seventh, the Bobcats' Greg Smith broke up the no-hit bid with a single to left. After Stagani fanned the next batter, an infield error put runners on first and second but Stagani got the final out on a popup to shortstop to end the threat.
The Hilltoppers' D.J. Busby broke up the scoreless tie in the bottom of the inning with a two-run single between short and third, which turned out to be more than enough offensive support for Stagani in the scheduled 9-inning contest.
The West Liberty hurler set the side down in order in the top of the eighth and then struck out the first two Bobcats in the ninth before completing his gem with a comebacker to the mound.
Mike Adams had a pair of doubles for West Liberty while Ethan Estes also doubled for the hosts. In the first game, the Hilltoppers broke up a 3-3 tie with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and tacked on two more insurance tallies in the sixth to complete the scoring.
Adams drove in two runs with a double and two singles while Estes smacked out three singles and also picked up a pair of RBIs. Bub Haddox chipped in with two singles and Clay Francis had a two-run single. Mark Smyth went the distance on the hill, blanking the Bobcats from the third inning on to earn the win. West Liberty will be back in action on Saturday when Glenville State comes to Kovalick Field for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
BASEBALL
West Liberty 8, W.Va. Wesleyan 3
W.Va. Wesleyan 012 000 0 - 3 9 4
West Liberty 012 302 x - 8 12 1
WVW: Ornes lp (1SO, 2W), Gainer (5) (1SO, 1W), Bishop (6) (0SO, 1W) and Castello. Koon D, S; Smith 2S; Kerns 2S; Vega S, 2rbi
WLU: Smyth wp (4SO, 2W) and Francis. Adams D, 2S, 2rbi; Estes 3S, 2rbi; Haddox 2S; Francis S, 2rbi
West Liberty 2, W.Va. Wesleyan 0
W.Va. Wesleyan 000 000 000 - 0 1 1
West Liberty 000 000 20x - 2 7 1
WVW: Metz lp (5SO, 2W), Isom (7) (2SO, 0W) and Rado, Blake, Castello. Smith S.
WLU: Stagani wp (14SO, 0W) and Carranza. Adams 2D; Estes D; Busby S, 2rbi
