West Liberty University Athletics

West Liberty Bats Quiet at Shepherd

Baseball | 4/23/2017 8:59:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team never got the bats going here Sunday as Shepherd took control of the Mountain East Conference North Division race with another doubleheader sweep at Fairfax Field.
Coach Eric Burkle's Hilltoppers (22-15, 16-8) managed just six hits in Sunday's two games, falling by scores of 2-1 and 12-2 to drop four games behind the Rams (24-17, 20-4) in the MEC North.
The first game loss was a heartbreaker for WLU as Shepherd scratched out an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth to snap a 1-1 tie, spoiling a strong mound outing from Yale Hughes.
The Hilltopper southpaw struck out five and didn't walk a batter while holding the Rams to just five hits and one earned run in a complete-game effort.
West Liberty managed just two singles against Shepherd starter Joe Rindone but had multiple scoring opportunities with six walks and two hit batters.
The Hilltoppers left the bases loaded in the second and third frames and never had a hit with a runner in scoring position. The only run scored on a passed ball with the bases loaded - again - in the top of the fourth.
Another pitchers' duel developed in the second game as WLU and Shepherd were locked in a 2-2 tie heading into the bottom of the fifth when the Rams loaded the bases with none out.
West Liberty nearly escaped unscathed, picking up two quick outs on a strikeout and a force-out at home only to see Brian McCourt jerk a two-out grand slam over the left field fence for a 6-2 Rams lead.
That blast opened the floodgates as the hosts went on to add six more runs off five Hilltopper pitchers while keeping West Liberty off the board the rest of the way.
The Hilltoppers had just four hits in the 9-inning finale with solo home runs from Ethan Estes and Bub Haddox accounting for the two West Liberty runs.
The Black and Gold will try to rebound on Tuesday when they head to Parkersburg for a 3 p.m.non-conference game against Ohio Valley University.

BASEBALL
Shepherd 2, West Liberty 1
West Liberty 000 100 0 - 1 2 1
Shepherd 000 101 x - 2 5 0
WLU: Y.Hughes lp (5SO, 0W) and Rojas.
SU: Rindone wp (7SO, 6W), Galati (7) (0SO, 1W) and Haymaker. Doyle D, S, rbi; Sarty HR, rbi; Carney D

Shepherd 12, West Liberty 2
West Liberty 100 010 000 - 2 4 1
Shepherd 200 043 21x - 12 16 0
WLU: Dyson lp (5SO, 4W), Shook (5) (0SO, 0W), Naumann (6) (0SO, 1W), Maloney (6) (0SO, 2W), Viakley (6) (0SO, 1W), Fuscardo (8) (0SO, 0W) and Rojas. Estes HR, rbi; V.Haddox HR, rbi; Adams D
SU: Stead wp (5SO, 1W), Benner (8) (0SO, 0W) and Burack. Hoffman D, 2S; Farley 2S, 2rbi; Sarty 2S, rbi; Burack 2S; McCourt GSHR, 5rbi; Brown D, 3rbi; Carney D, rbi

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Players Mentioned

#2 Ethan Estes: IF; 5' 10"; Junior

#16 Yale Hughes: P; 6' 4"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#2 Ethan Estes
: 5' 10"; Junior
: IF

#16 Yale Hughes
: 6' 4"; Senior
: P

Players Mentioned

#2 Ethan Estes

#16 Yale Hughes

Players Mentioned

#2 Ethan Estes

#16 Yale Hughes