JACKSON, Tenn. - The West Liberty University baseball team capped off opening weekend with a doubleheader split against the hosts Union University, dropping game one 9-4 then earning its first win of the season in the finale 7-3.

Game 2: WLU (7) - Union (3)
Starting pitcher Bryce Winter was dealing early and held the Bulldogs to just one hit over the first four innings. Ty Helmke led the game off with a triple, but was stranded and the Hilltopper offense was also held quiet through the first four innings. 

West Liberty broke the ice in the top of the fifth and did not let up, plating six runs in the inning. Noah Mildren got the inning started by battling the leadoff at bat to a full count and drawing a walk. Back-to-back singles by Zach Hawkins and Helmke resulted in the first run of the game and forced a Union pitching change.

Three more singles followed by the Black and Gold from Jacob Sherman, Ryan Talbert, and Kayne McGee after the switch on the mound. Sherman and McGee earned RBIs, while Talbert energized the 'Topper dugout with a bunt single.

Trevor Thomas and James Salvatori added sac flies, while Talbert raced home on a passed ball. WLU finished the top of the fifth with six runs on five hits and left no runners on base.

Union answered with three runs in the bottom half of the fifth, but the Hilltoppers were able to strand two runners to keep the momentum in their favor.

Mildren started the sixth off with a double to right field then scored on a perfectly executed squeeze play to make it 7-3.

Thomas finished the final two innings from the rubber allowing just one hit and striking out two to preserve the Hilltopper victory. Winter got the W, finishing with a final line of three earned runs, five strikeouts, four hits, and two walks over 4.1 innings pitched. Brady Harmon middled Winter and Thomas finishing the final two outs of the fifth inning.

Helmke was 3-for-3 in the game with an RBI, run scored, walk, and triple. Sherman was 1-for-1 with two RBI, a run scored, walk, and sac bunt. Mildren led the team scoring two runs out of the eight hole.

Game 1: WLU (4) - Union (9)
Union scored early and often rolling out in front 9-0 after four innings. The Hilltppers showed some late fight, scraping together four runs, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.

James Salvatori singled to lead off the sixth inning and came around to score off a Union error. Ty Helmke got a fielder's choice RBI the next batter, then Ryan Talbert hit a sac fly for the Hilltoppers' third run of the inning, but the Bulldogs were able to get out of the mini jam stranding two baserunners.

WLU couldn't spark anything more than one run in the ninth. Garrett Scott drove home Trevor Thomas, who singled to lead off the final frame, with a sac fly.

The Hilltoppers were held to just four hits in the game. Salvatori led the offense going 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

Drake Dobson suffered the loss on the mound. Stephen Graebe pitched the final four innings and held Union off the scoreboard allowing just one hit.

UP NEXT
West Liberty will be off until a four-game set against Malone University on February 24-25 in Mason, Ohio.