WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team split a Mountain East Conference doubleheader with West Virginia State here Saturday on a sunny afternoon at historic Kovalick Field.
Coach
Eric Burkle's Hilltoppers (5-20, 5-5) rode the strong right arm of junior mound ace
Justin Pennybacker to a 5-2 win in the first game before the Yellowjackets (10-11, 3-7) bounced back with a 5-1 victory in Game Two.
In the opener, West Liberty scored four runs in the bottom of the first and
Justin Pennybacker took care of the rest. The junior righthander shut down West Virginia State on just four hits, striking out five and walking three for the complete-game win.
The Hilltoppers produced just four singles at the plate but took advantage of some Yellowjacket control issues in the four-run first inning.
Kayne McGee and
Isaac Rine sandwiched bases-loaded walks around an RBI single off the bat of
Connor Ferguson and
Ethan Conley added a sacrifice fly to bring him the fourth run of the frame.
Ryan Talbert added an insurance tally with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth.
Brad Goodyear gave WLU an early 1-0 lead in the second game with an RBI double in the bottom of the first but the visitors pushed three runs across the plate in the top of the third and went on to pound out 14 hits in the 5-1 victory.
Jake Sherman had two of West Liberty's five hits while Talbert also doubled in a losing cause.
The Hilltoppers return to Kovalick Field on Sunday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader against the University of Charleston.
BASEBALL
West Liberty 5, W.Va. State 2
W.Va. State 001 100 0 - 2 4 1
West Liberty 400 001 x - 5 4 2
WVSU: Bryant lp (0SO, 4W), Vadasz (1) (2SO, 1W), Lewis (5) (2SO, 0W) and Ball. Sharp D, rbi; Paulsen S, rbi; Sharp D
WLU: Pennybacker wp (5SO, 3W) and Rine. Ferguson 2S, rbi; Talbert S, rbi
W.Va. State 5, West Liberty 1
W.Va. State 003 110 0 - 5 14 0
West Liberty 100 000 0 - 1 5 1
WVSU: Loftis wp (8SO, 3W) and Zamudio. Zamudio 2D, S, rbi; Kay D, 2S, rbi; Stone 2S, 2rbi; Sharp 2S, rbi; Kline D
WLU: Studd lp (6SO, 0W), Hess (4) (2SO, 2W), Bolander (5) (2SO, 1W) and Z.Hawkins. Sherman 2S; Goodyear D, rbi; Talbert D
