BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team got back to the .500 mark in Mountain East Conference play here Tuesday with a doubleheader sweep of West Virginia Wesleyan at Hank Ellis Field.
    Coach Eric Burkle's Hilltoppers (4-17, 4-4) hammered their way to a 17-9 victory in the first game before fending off a late comeback by the Bobcats (0-19, 0-8) for a 6-5 nod in the finale.
    In the opener, West Liberty exploded for 11 runs in the final two innings to win going away. The Hilltoppers, who actually trailed by a 5-4 count heading into the fourth inning, finished with 14 hits and also benefitted from 10 combined walks issued by seven Wesleyan hurlers.
    Ryan Talbert paced WLU's offensive barrage with a double, two singles and three RBIs. Kayne McGee drove in two runs with a double and single while Brad Goodyear also doubled and singled to chase home a run. Ty Helmke had two singles and three RBIs while Connor Ferguson drove in two runs with a pair of singles. Ethan Conley added a single and three RBIs.
    Logan Grimm worked the first six innings to earn the win, striking out nine without walking a batter.
    Kaden Blomquist's two-run double highlighted a four-run first inning for the Black and Gold as they led wire to wire in Game Two to finish off the sweep.
    Jake Sherman had a double, single and RBI and McGee added two more singles while Helmke and Zach Hawkins each had RBI base knocks.
    Ian Brady pitched into the seventh inning to get the win, striking out seven and walking two. Joe Hess came on in relief to get the final three outs for the save.
    The Hilltoppers return home on Wednesday to host No. 22-ranked Slippery Rock (Pa.) in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Kovalick Field.
  West Liberty                          400 115 6 - 17  14  1
W.Va. Wesleyan                   401 000 4 -   9    8  0
     WLU: Grimm wp (9SO, 0W), Aulick (6) (0SO, 1W), Dobson (7) (1SO, 1W) and Rine. Talbert D, 2S, 3rbi; McGee D, S, 2rbi; Goodyear D, S, rbi; Helmke 2S, 3rbi; Ferguson 2S, 2rbi; Conley S, 3rbi
     WVW: Rohrbaugh (1SO, 2W), Ventry lp (2) (2SO, 2W), Mauzy (5) (0SO, 1W), Miller (6) (0SO, 1W), White (7) (0SO, 2W), Owens (7) (2SO, 3W) and Poteat, Turner (7). Ingram D, S; Johnson D, 2rbi; Poteat D, 2rbi; Eplin S, 2rbi; Sanders S, 2rbi
  West Liberty                          410 100 0 - 6    7  1
W.Va. Wesleyan                   102 001 1 - 5  12  3
     WLU: Brady wp (7SO, 1W) and Z.Hawkins. Sherman D, S, rbi; McGee 2S; Blomquist D, 2rbi; Helmke S, rbi; Z.Hawkins S, rbi
     WVW: Bradley lp (1SO, 3W), Eplin (3) (4SO, 2W) and Turner. Radosevic 3S, 2rbi; Turner D, S, rbi; Johnson D, S, rbi; Ingram S, rbi