MASON, Ohio – The West Liberty baseball team held early leads in both games on Thursday but couldn't hold off Malone (Ohio) as the Pioneers rallied for two more wins at frigid Prasco Park.
    Malone (5-1) came from behind to sweep the doubleheader by scores of 9-2 and 9-4, keeping the hard-luck Hilltoppers (0-8) winless on the season. Conditions were less than ideal for either squad as the mercury read just 28 degrees when the first game got under way at 10 a.m.
    In that morning game, West Liberty jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second but Malone cut the lead in half with a single tally in the bottom of the frame before exploding for 8 runs on 8 hits in the bottom of the third to put the game out of reach. Ross Salvatori doubled and singled for WLU, Isaac Rine singled home a run and Connor Ferguson added a double.
    The Pioneers broke up a 4-4 tie in the afternoon contest with a three-run uprising in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good. Malone added a pair of insurance tallies in the sixth to conclude the scoring. Salvatori doubled and singled again to pace West Liberty's 8-hit attack. Ferguson also smacked out a pair of hits and drove in a run while Ty Helmke had an RBI double and Brad Goodyear had a run-scoring single.
    The Hilltoppers won't hit the diamond again until March 5 when they return to Prasco Park for a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Pitt-Johnstown.
  West Liberty                                   020 000 0 – 2    5  1
Malone (Ohio)                               018 000 x – 9  14  0
     WLU: Studd lp (1SO, 1W), Hess (3) (2SO, 0W), Bolander (4) (2SO, 0W), Cerjan (6) (1SO, 0W) and Rine. R.Salvatori D, S; Rine S, rbi; Ferguson D
     MU: Jessee wp (7SO, 4W), Rouse (5) (1SO, 1W), Bartiromo (6) (2SO, 2W) and Criss. Gingerich 3S, 2rbi; Tonelli 3S, 2rbi; Criss 2S, rbi; Balzano 2S; Black D; Aleman D; Taylor S, 2rbi
  West Liberty                                   100 300 0 – 4  8  4
Malone (Ohio)                               022 302 x – 9  9  1
     WLU: Pennybacker lp (2SO, 2W), Sinisgalli (4) (5SO, 1W), Clark (6) (0SO, 0W), Bolander (6) (0SO, 0W) and Goodyear. R.Salvatori D, S; Ferguson 2S, rbi; Helmke D, rbi; Goodyear S, rbi; Cottrell D
     MU: Cook wp (5SO, 2W), Salinas (6) (2SO, 0W), Davies (7) (1SO, 0W) and Maley. Martin D, 2S, 3rbi; Gingerich T, rbi; Maley S, rbi; Swan S, rbi; Tonelli D; Philippi D; Baum D