Wheeling, W.Va. – On a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon, the West Liberty University baseball team returned to the win column as they split a doubleheader at Wheeling Park High School against Lake Erie, winning by a score of 11-5 in game one before falling 16-7 in the series finale. The Hilltoppers blasted three homeruns and added a pair of doubles and triples in the opening game of the day as they reached double figure runs for the second time this season.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score: West Liberty 11, Lake Erie 5
Team Records: West Liberty 3-8, Lake Erie 6-6
Attendance: 31
Pitching Decision: Win: Brady Harmon (1-1), Loss: Jake Vasil (0-2)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• Lake Erie opened the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI single to second base scoring one run to make it a 1-0 game.
• The bats erupted immediately for West Liberty in the bottom of the first as they scored four runs off five hits. After a triple by James Salvatori, back-to-back doubles by Ryan Talbert and Will Balgo gave WLU a 2-1 lead, and then Adam Och hit an RBI single to score Balgo and Luke Marsh reached on a fielder's choice that scored Trevor Thomas to make it a 4-1 lead.
• Brady Harmon and the defense settled in during the top of the second as a pair of strikeouts helped send the Storm down in order.
• In the bottom of the second Salvatori knocked a leadoff homer over the center field fence and later in the inning Thomas hit a 2-run homerun to center field to extend the lead to 7-1.
• After a scoreless bottom of the third inning, the Hilltoppers pushed their lead to ten (11-1) in the bottom of the fourth. Salvatori connected on his second triple of the day to leadoff the inning and scored as Balgo hit a single up the middle. Later in the frame Marsh connected on a 3-run homerun to right field.
• LEC held WLU scoreless the remainder of the contest as they trimmed the deficit to six (11-5) with one run scoring on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, and three runs crossing the plate in the top of the seventh on a double, single, and another hit by pitch with the bases loaded.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1
James Salvatori: 3-for-4, 2 triples, 1 homerun, 1 RBI, 3 runs scored
Will Balgo: 2-for-4, 1 double, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored
Trevor Thomas: 2-for-3, 1 homerun, 1 walk, 2 RBI, 3 runs scored
Brady Harmon: 6.0 innings pitched, 4 hits allowed, 2 earned runs allowed, 7 strikeouts
 
QUICK DETAILS – GAME 2
Final Score: West Liberty 7, Lake Erie 16
Team Records: West Liberty 3-9, Lake Erie 7-6
Attendance: 55
Pitching Decision: Win: Alex Caudill (1-1) Loss: Bryce Winter (1-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• The high scoring affair in game two got off to a quick start as Lake Erie plated four runs with one run on a double, one on a fielder's choice, and two on a pair of wild pitches to make it a 4-0 game.
• After a leadoff walk West Liberty was unable to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first, and the Storm extended their lead with three runs in the top of the second as they scored on a single, error, and a bases loaded walk.
• WLU remained hitless in the bottom of the second and LEC plated five more runs with a 2-run and a 3-run homer in the top of the third to extend their lead to 12-0.
• West Liberty got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third with a 2-RBI single to right field by James Salvatori to score Kobe Hill and Noah Mildren to cut the deficit to 12-2.
• Colby Conn held Lake Erie hitless in the top of the fourth, however the Storm matched it in the bottom of the fourth.
• LEC scored one run on a single up the middle to make it a 13-2 ball game, and WLU got the run back in the bottom of the fifth as Salvatori scored on a wild pitch after reaching base on a walk previously in the inning.
• A bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly brought home two runs for the Storm in the top of the sixth as they pushed the score to 15-3, but West Liberty once again had an answer in the bottom of the frame. A single by Hill to left field scored Garrett Scott and Luke Marsh and the ensuing at-bat Salvatori doubled to left field to score Mildren. Trevor Thomas cut the deficit to 15-7 as he hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Hill.
• The scoring in the contest came to a close with a leadoff homerun in the top of the seventh by LEC to make it a 16-7 game.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 2
James Salvatori: 2-for-3, 1 double, 1 walk, 3 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 stolen base
Kobe Hill: 1-for-3, 2 walks, 2 RBI, 1 run scored
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will open Mountain East Conference action next weekend on Saturday, March 16, as the Hilltoppers welcome West Virginia State to Kovalick Field. First pitch against the Yellow Jackets is scheduled for 1 and 4 p.m. on the hilltop.