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Hilltoppers Deal a Pair of Aces in Sweep

Baseball | 3/25/2017 5:54:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – A pair of dominant pitching performances carried the West Liberty University baseball team to a sweep of UVa-Wise in Saturday's Mountain East Conference doubleheader at Kovalick Field.
Coach Eric Burkle's Hilltoppers (12-6, 7-1) handed the MEC South Division-leading Cavaliers (11-15, 5-3) a 6-0 loss in the first game and followed that up with a 6-2 win in the finale.
Greg Stagani was in control from the very first pitch in the opener as the WLU senior held the visitors to just two harmless singles while striking out eight in a 7-inning complete-game shutout.
Stagani got plenty of offensive support from his teammates. Nolan Marcus drove in three runs with a double and a single while Mike Adams singled twice and chased home a pair of runs. Justice Jackson had two singles, stole a base and scored two runs while Coby Eckstein chipped in with an RBI single.
Yale Hughes was lights-out for the Black and Gold in the second game, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning of the scheduled 9-inning contest to earn the win. 
David Thomas broke up Hughes' no-hit bid with two out in the top of the sixth with an RBI single through the left side of the infield and Matt Branham homered to lead off the eighth but that was all Hughes yielded in an eight-inning stint that saw him post four strikeouts against three walks. Tory Fuscardo came on in relief to pitch a scoreless ninth.
The Hilltoppers pounded out 10 hits in the win. Chad Harper had a three-hit game with a double and two singles while Adams chased home two runs with a triple and a double. Jackson delivered two more singles and Ethan Estes doubled home a pair of runs. Marcus added an RBI double and Eckstein had a run-scoring single.
West Liberty will be idle until Friday when West Liberty hosts Charleston in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Kovalick Field.

BASEBALL
West Liberty 6, UVa-Wise 0
UVa-Wise 000 000 0 - 0  2  2
West Liberty 102 300 x - 6  7  0
UVW: Catalani lp (4SO, 3W), Wilkinson (5) (1SO, 2W) and Thomas. 
WLU: Stagani wp (8SO, 3W) and Rojas. Marcus D, S, 3rbi; Adams 2S, 2rbi; Jackson 2S; Eckstein S, rbi

West Liberty 6, UVa-Wise 2
UVa-Wise 000 001 010 - 2    4  1
West Liberty 000 132 00x - 6  10  0
UVW: Nevill lp (1SO, 0W), Stamper (5) (6SO, 2W) and Blaum. Branham HR, rbi; Thomas 2S, rbi
WLU: Hughes wp (4SO, 3W,) Fuscardo (9) (1SO, 0W) and Harper. Harper D, 2S; Adams T, D, 2rbi; Jackson 2S; Estes D, 2rbi; Marcus D, rbi; Eckstein S, rbi
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Players Mentioned

Coby Eckstein

#7 Coby Eckstein

IF
6' 2"
Sophomore
Ethan Estes

#2 Ethan Estes

IF
5' 10"
Junior
Tory Fuscardo

#9 Tory Fuscardo

P
5' 9"
Senior
Yale Hughes

#16 Yale Hughes

P
6' 4"
Senior
Justice Jackson

#12 Justice Jackson

OF
6' 1"
Junior
Nolan Marcus

#10 Nolan Marcus

P/IF
5' 8"
Junior
Greg Stagani

#25 Greg Stagani

P
6' 4"
Senior
Chad Harper

#23 Chad Harper

C
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Coby Eckstein

#7 Coby Eckstein

6' 2"
Sophomore
IF
Ethan Estes

#2 Ethan Estes

5' 10"
Junior
IF
Tory Fuscardo

#9 Tory Fuscardo

5' 9"
Senior
P
Yale Hughes

#16 Yale Hughes

6' 4"
Senior
P
Justice Jackson

#12 Justice Jackson

6' 1"
Junior
OF
Nolan Marcus

#10 Nolan Marcus

5' 8"
Junior
P/IF
Greg Stagani

#25 Greg Stagani

6' 4"
Senior
P
Chad Harper

#23 Chad Harper

6' 0"
Freshman
C