Baseball | 3/19/2018 4:39:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

    ATHENS, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team dropped both ends of a Mountain East Conference doubleheader at Concord on Monday.
    Coach Eric Burkle's Hilltoppers (4-7, 2-2) were 3-0 shutout victims in the opener and saw the Mountain Lions (10-6, 4-0) score three runs with two out in the seventh inning of the finale to complete the sweep with a 6-5 walk-off win.
    West Liberty seemed to be in complete control during the second game after Coby Eckstein's three-run home run highlighted a five-run third inning uprising. Mitchell Viakley carried a one-hit shutout into the sixth inning before tiring but WLU still held a 5-3 lead heading to the seventh.
    After Concord loaded the bases with one out against the Hilltopper bullpen, West Liberty got the second out of the inning on a strikeout. Evan Webb walked on a 3-2 pitch to force in a run and Brett Simmons followed with a single down the left field line to bring home the tying and winning runs.
    Eckstein had another multi-hit game with a single to go along with his three-run blast while Chad Matthus added two singles. Justice Jackson had a single and an RBI while Chad Harper doubled to lead off the third.
    In the opener, the Hilltoppers brought the tying run to the plate with two on and one out in the bottom of the seventh but the threat – and the game – ended with a pair of fly balls to the outfield.
    Concord's Troy Beckner went the distance for the complete game shutout, scattering four singles while striking out nine and issuing only one walk.
    Parker Dyson was the hard-luck loser for WLU. The junior southpaw gave up only five hits and one earned run in his six innings of work, striking out two and allowing three bases on balls.
    West Liberty is scheduled to host Glenville State Saturday at 1 p.m. in an MEC twinbill.
  West Liberty                               000 000 0 - 0  4  2
Concord                                        200 001 x - 3  5  2
     WLU: Dyson lp (2SO, 3W) and Davis.
     CU: Beckner wp (9SO, 1W) and Williams. Linkous T, rbi; Frazier D
  West Liberty                               005 000 0 - 5  8  1
Concord                                        000 003 3 - 6  7  2
     WLU: Viakley (1SO, 4W), Hildreth (6) (1SO, 1W), Shook lp (7) (1SO, 0W), Nees (7) (1SO, 1W) and Harper. Eckstein HR, S, 3rbi; Matthus 2S; Jackson S, rbi; Harper D
     CU: Stehlin (0SO, 1W), Dooley wp (4) (1SO, 0W) and Clark. Williams 2S; Clark 2S; Frazier D, rbi; Simmons S, 2rbi