West Liberty University Athletics

WLU Baseball Splits With Notre Dame

Baseball | 4/8/2017 6:48:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 AVON, Ohio – Yale Hughes drove in all six runs and Justin Retzer hurled a complete-game 4-hitter to lead the West Liberty University baseball team to a 6-3 win in the second game of Saturday'sdoubleheader against Notre Dame at Sprenger Stadium.
Coach Eric Burkle's Hilltoppers (17-8, 12-2) had come out on the short end of a 3-1 tally in the opening game of the Mountain East Conference twinbill with the Falcons (8-21, 4-10).
In the finale, Hughes obliterated a 2-1 Notre Dame lead with 2 out in the top of the fifth when he yanked a 3-run blast over the wall to put WLU ahead to stay, 4-2.
The Falcons made things interesting when they pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth but Hughes came through again in the top of the ninth, ripping a 2-out, 2-run single to right field to pad the lead.
That was more than enough for Retzer, who retired the side in order in the bottom of the frame to finish out his 9-inning complete game. Retzer gave up just 4 singles while striking out 8 and walking 4. Only two of the hosts' three runs were earned.
Nolan Marcus and Mike Adams set the table for Hughes. Marcus singled twice, doubled and scored three runs while Adams also picked up a double and two singles while scoring twice. Coby Eckstein added two singles as West Liberty finished with 14 hits.
In the opener, Notre Dame broke through for five hits and three runs in the bottom of the third to grab a 3-1 lead and Falcon ace Tyler Gault pitched out of numerous jams to make that stand up in a complete-game win.
Yale Hughes had given the Black and Gold a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the top of the first but that was all the Hilltoppers could manage against Gault, despite pounding out nine hits and putting runners on base in six of the seven innings.
Bub Haddox led WLU with a double, two singles and a stolen base while Ethan Estes added a pair of base knocks.
The teams return to Sprenger Stadium Sunday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

BASEBALL
Dame 3, West Liberty 1
West Liberty 100 000 0 - 1 9 0
Notre Dame 003 000 x - 3 9 0
WLU: Pare lp (5SO, 1W) and Rojas. V.Haddox D, 2S; Estes 2S; Y.Hughes D, rbi; Adams T; Jackson D
NDC: Gault wp (3SO, 2W) and Carpenter. Barnhart T, 2S, rbi; Lett 2S, rbi; Purdy S, rbi

West Liberty 6, Notre Dame 3
West Liberty 100 030 002 - 6 14 4
Notre Dame 101 000 010 - 3 4 2
WLU: Retzer wp (8SO, 4W) and Rojas. Marcus D, 2S; Adams D, 2S; Y.Hughes HR, S, 6rbi; Eckstein 2S
NDC: Raponi lp (3SO, 0W), Guzik (6) (1SO, 0W) and Seekins. Lett 2S; Santoro S, rbi

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Players Mentioned

#7 Coby Eckstein: IF; 6' 2"; Sophomore

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

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

#10 Nolan Marcus: P/IF; 5' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#7 Coby Eckstein
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: IF

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

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

#10 Nolan Marcus
: 5' 8"; Junior
: P/IF