CADIZ, Ohio - The West Liberty University baseball team dropped the first two games of a weekend series to Pitt-Johnstown, 6-2 and 17-3, Saturday at Mazeroski Field.

Game 1: Pitt-Johnstown (6) - West Liberty (2)
The Mountain Cats scored five runs in the first two innings, three of which unearned, taking advantage of two West Liberty errors.

The Hilltoppers had runners on base in six of the seven innings, but could not put a rally together charting solo runs in the fifth and seventh. Zach Hawkins went 2-for-2 with a walk to lead the West Liberty offense, as he accounted for both runs. In the fifth, Hawkins led off with a double and came around to score on a Jacob Sherman sac fly. Then in the seventh, he blasted the Hilltoppers' first home run of the season over the left field wall.

Trevor Thomas smacked a double and finished 2-for-3 at the plate, while Sherman ended the game 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk.

Justin Pennybacker suffered the loss over 5.2 innings pitched for West Liberty, while Tyler Cerjan tossed a scoreless top of the seventh with a strikeout.

Game 2: Pitt-Johnstown (17) - West Liberty (3)
The Hilltoppers scored runs in the second, third, and fourth innings to get out in front 3-1, but an 11 run sixth inning by the Mountain Cats flipped the script, as they cruised to a 17-3 win after adding five more in the seventh.

James Salvatori manufactured the first run himself with a bunt single and steal of second to get into scoring position. He moved up to third on a Trevor Thomas flyout to right, then came home on a Will Balgo sac fly.

Ty Helmke led off the third with a single, went to third on a Jacob Sherman double the next at bat, and came home on a wild pitch to get the Black and Gold up 2-0.

Pitt-Johnstown took advantage of two-out error by WLU and followed with back-to-back singles to get on the board in the top of the fourth.

Noah Mildren got the run back with a two-out home run belted over the right field fence in the bottom of the fourth. 

After a quick fifth inning, the Mountain Cats took control with 11 runs in the sixth, 10 of which came before an out was recorded.

Mildren and Sherman both finished 2-for-2, Sherman added a base on balls reaching base in all three plate appearances.

Ian Brady started and got dealt the loss. He threw a magnificent first five innings and struck out four batters, before the sixth inning rally by Pitt-Johnstown. Tanner Pelaz did not allow an earned run over one inning on the mound and Thomas Robbins tossed a scoreless three outs.

Up Next
The teams will be back in action tomorrow at 1 and 4 pm at Mazeroski Field in Cadiz, Ohio.