West Liberty University Athletics

Hilltopper Baseball Slips Past Senators

Baseball | 5/2/2017 6:27:00 PM

Box Score ELKINS, W.Va. – Ethan Estes singled home the tiebreaking run in the top of the ninth here Tuesdayto give the West Liberty University baseball team a 6-5 non-conference win against Davis & Elkins at blustery Harpertown Field.
Coach Eric Burkle's Hilltoppers (25-18) got only four hits all afternoon but took advantage of four errors by the Senators (9-34) to pull out the victory in a see-saw affair.
The teams traded unearned runs in the first inning before West Liberty jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the top of the third thanks to some clutch 2-out hitting.
After the first two batters were retired, Nolan Marcus singled down the left field line and Mike Adams was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second.
Yale Hughes cleared the bases with a two-run triple to right field and came around to score when the right fielder misplayed Coby Eckstein's fly ball for the third run of the inning.
The Hilltoppers stretched the margin to 5-1 with an unearned tally in the top of the fourth but D&E scored twice in each of the fourth and fifth frames to forge a 5-5 deadlock.
Neither team scored again until the top of the ninth when WLU's Alex Rojas drew a leadoff walk and moved all the way around to third on a pair of wild pitches. After Justice Jackson walked and stole second, Estes smacked a 1-0 pitch to left field to bring Rojas trotting home with what proved to be the winning run.
Tory Fuscardo retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to save the win for Logan Maloney, who held the Senators at bay through three innings of scoreless relief.
The Hilltoppers close out the regular season at home this weekend when they host Ohio County rival Wheeling Jesuit in back-to-back 1 p.m. doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday at Kovalick Field.

BASEBALL
West Liberty 6, Davis & Elkins 5
West Liberty 103 100 001 - 6 4 4
Davis & Elkins 100 220 000 - 5 6 4
WLU: Viakley (2SO, 2W), Maloney wp (6) (3SO, 0W), Fuscardo (9) (1SO, 0W) and Rojas. Y.Hughes T, S, 2rbi; Estes S, rbi
D&E: Luker (0SO, 0W), Arbogast (5) (4SO, 1W), Mason lp (9) (0SO, 2W), Jarboe (9) (0SO, 0W) and Masella. Wood 2S, 2rbi; Mays S, rbi

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#9 Tory Fuscardo: P; 5' 9"; Senior

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

#12 Justice Jackson: OF; 6' 1"; Junior

#37 Logan Maloney: P; 6' 1"; Junior

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

#4 Alex Rojas: C; 5' 11"; Senior

Players Mentioned

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

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

#9 Tory Fuscardo
: 5' 9"; Senior
: P

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

#12 Justice Jackson
: 6' 1"; Junior
: OF

#37 Logan Maloney
: 6' 1"; Junior
: P

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

#4 Alex Rojas
: 5' 11"; Senior
: C