Athens, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team fell in a pair of MEC road match-ups on Saturday afternoon at Anderson Field, dropping the games by scores of 10-2 and 12-5 to Concord. The Mountain Lions seized the momentum early in game one as they scored seven runs in the top of the second en route to the eight run victory. In game two the Hilltoppers matched CU as each team put up three runs in the first inning, however WLU was unable to keep pace as Concord quickly scored another four runs in the second to break the game open for them to complete the doubleheader sweep.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score: West Liberty 2, Concord 10
Team Records: West Liberty 7-18 (4-7 MEC), Concord 11-12 (3-6 MEC)
Attendance: 112
Pitching Decision: Win: Rylee Nicholas (4-1), Loss: Tanner Pelaez (3-3)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• The West Liberty defense got out of a jam in the top of the first inning as they ended the inning with an out at home on a fielder's choice and caught a runner stealing second after the first two CU athletes reached base to leadoff the game.
• After the Hilltoppers went 3-up, 3-down in the bottom of the first, the Mountain Lions struck first with a 7-run top of the second. Concord scored one run on a double to left center, two on a triple to right center, two on a double to right center, and two on a single through the left side to take a 7-0 lead.
• WLU's first base runner of the contest came in the bottom of the third as Noah Mildren reached first on a fielding error by the second baseman, however the frame would come to a close the ensuing at-bat on a double play.
• Concord extended their lead in the top of the fourth with back-to-back solo homeruns over the left field fence to make it a 9-0 ball game.
• West Liberty notched their first hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth as Trevor Thomas hit a single up the middle, and Brad Goodyear gave WLU a second base runner as he drew a walk, however they would be left stranded with a fly out to center field and a ground out to the pitcher ending the inning.
• The Mountain Lions pushed their lead to 10-0 in the top of the sixth with a single through the left side of the infield scoring one.
• The Hilltoppers were able to find the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth as a ground out to second base by Ryan Talbert allowed for Alex Hawkins, who pinch ran for Luke Marsh after he drew a lead off walk, to cross the plate. Two at-bats later Will Balgo knocked a double to left center to score Jacob Sherman, who recorded a double of his own to left field earlier in the inning, as he cut the deficit to 10-2.
• WLU was unable to build a rally in the bottom of the seventh as a single to right field by Kobe Hill was the lone hit and base runner of the frame.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1
Jacob Sherman: 1-for-3, 1 double, 1 run scored
Will Balgo: 1-for-3, 1 double, 1 RBI
Trevor Thomas: 1-for-3
 
QUICK DETAILS – GAME 2
Final Score: West Liberty 5, Concord 12
Team Records: West Liberty 7-19 (4-8 MEC), Concord 12-12 (4-6 MEC)
Attendance: 107
Pitching Decision: Win: Jake Robinson (1-2), Loss: Mason Billie (0-2)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• Concord struck first again in game two as they opened the top of the first with three runs, scoring one run on a double to left center, one on a double to center field, and one on a single to left field.
• West Liberty had an immediate response in the bottom of the first with three runs of their own to even the game at three apiece. A sacrifice fly to center field by Will Balgo brought home Ryan Talbert after he had laid down a bunt single to reach base and give the Hilltoppers their first base runner of the game. The next at-bat Trevor Thomas reached base safely on an error by the shortstop, scoring James Salvatori who had gotten on base with a double down the left field line. The final run of the inning was Brad Goodyear knocking a double to right center to bring home Thomas.
• The Mountain Lions regained their lead with another big inning as they scored four runs off five hits. A solo homerun to right field led off the inning and later in the frame it was a sacrifice fly to left field that scored one. A 2-run homerun to left field made it a 7-3 ball game.
• After a pitching change for both teams, WLU went hitless in the bottom of the second and third while CU was held without a hit in the top of the third as Drake Dobson entered the game in relief.
• Concord pushed their lead to 8-3 with a pop up, sacrifice fly to second base in the top of the fourth.
• The Hilltoppers were unable to take advantage of a leadoff single by Thomas in the bottom of the fourth, and a 2-out double to left center by Talbert in the bottom of the fifth as they were left stranded.
• The Mountain Lions tacked on two runs in the top of the sixth with a pair of RBI singles to right field making the score 10-3 in favor of CU.
• After turning a double play on a pair of WLU base runners, Concord added two more runs in the top of the seventh as they scored one run on a single through the right side and one run on a single to the shortstop to push the score to 12-3.
• West Liberty rounded out the scoring on the day with Jacob Sherman knocking a double down the right field line to score Kobe Hill and Hunter White to cut the deficit to 12-5 in the bottom of the seventh.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 2
Ryan Talbert: 2-for-3, 1 double, 1 run scored
Trevor Thomas: 1-for-2, 1 walk, 1 run scored
Brad Goodyear: 1-for-3, 1 double, 1 RBI
Jacob Sherman: 1-for-4, 1 double, 2 RBI
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will continue play on the road as they visit Indiana (PA) on Tuesday, April 2. The Hilltoppers and Crimson Hawks are scheduled a 1 p.m. first pitch for a single nine inning game at Owen J. Dougherty Field in Indiana, Pennsylvania.