MASON, Ohio – The West Liberty baseball team couldn't get the bats heated up on a crisp Wednesday afternoon in southwestern Ohio and dropped a non-conference doubleheader to Malone by scores of 11-7 and 7-5.
    In the opener, West Liberty (0-6) exploded for five runs in its last two at-bats but it was too little, too late against a Malone (3-1) squad that scored in every inning but the first while pounding out 15 hits.
    Ryan Talbert belted a two-run homer in the top of the third and later added a double to account for two of the Hilltoppers' five hits. Connor Ferguson singled and drove in a run, Ty Helmke added an RBI triple and Kayne McGee delivered a sacrifice fly for the Black and Gold.
    West Liberty jumped out to a 4-0 lead in a bizarre first inning but couldn't hang on as Malone came all the way back for the win, scoring three times in the bottom of the sixth to complete the sweep.
    After managing just six hits in the opener, WLU added just three more in the finale but made the most of them with heads-up base-running and excellent patience at the plate.
    The first inning of the second game was a prime example as the Hilltoppers' only hit was a leadoff single by Talbert. However, six walks, two passed balls and a wild pitch later sent starting pitcher Ian Brady to the hill with a 4-0 lead.
    Brady held Malone to just two runs during his four-inning stint, striking out five and walking only one before departing with a 4-2 lead.
    The Pioneers got to the WLU bullpen for a pair of runs to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth before a combination of shaky Hilltopper fielding and timely Malone hitting pushed three more run across the plate with a 7-4 lead heading to the seventh.
    A Kaden Blomquist double and a pair of walks brought the go-ahead run to the plate with one out in the top of the seventh. McGee brought one run home with a line shot to center for a sacrifice fly but the Pioneers escaped with no further damage.
    The two teams return to action on Thursday with another non-conference twinbill. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
  West Liberty                                   002 004 1 –   7    6  0
Malone (Ohio)                               023 222 x – 11  15  2
     WLU: Grimm lp (2SO, 0W), Hurst (5) (0SO, 0W), Sinisgalli (5) (0SO, 0W), Dobson (6) (0SO, 0W), Hess (6) (2SO, 0W) and Rine. Talbert HR, D, 2rbi; Helmke T, rbi; Ferguson S, rbi; McGee SF, rbi
     MU: Miller wp (7SO, 1W), Laytart (6) (0SO, 2W), Baum (6) (3SO, 0W) and Criss. Black D, 2S, rbi; Philippi 2D, 2rbi; Balzano D, S, 4rbi; Gingerich 2S, rbi; Tonelli 2S; Martin D; Hanna S, 3rbi
  West Liberty                                   400 000 1 – 5  3  3
Malone (Ohio)                               100 123 x – 7  6  0
     WLU: Brady (5SO, 1W), Conley lp (1SO, 1W), Aulick (6) (0SO, 0W) and Goodyear. Blomquist D, S; McGee SF, 2rbi; Ferguson rbi
     MU: Plack (0SO, 4W), Jackson (1) (4SO, 3W), Maurer wp (6) (3SO, 3W) and Maley. Aleman 2S, rbi; Martin T, rbi; Maley S, rbi