Indiana, Pa. – The West Liberty University baseball team rounded out a stretch of 15 consecutive games away from the hilltop on Wednesday afternoon as they traveled to Indiana (PA) for a non-conference match-up where they fell by a score of 9-2. The Hilltoppers were unable to slow down the Crimson Hawks' bats early as they scored in each of the first five innings to build a 9-1 advantage before WLU closed the scoring out in the top of the sixth with one run. The Black & Gold finally cooled the IUP bats later in the contest as they held them scoreless their final three times up to the plate and were limited to just a pair of hits.

QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: West Liberty 2, Indiana (PA) 9
Team Records: West Liberty 7-24 (4-12 MEC), Indiana (PA) 16-9 (7-5 PSAC)
Attendance: 44
Pitching Decision: Win: Bryce Devan (1-0), Loss: Colby Conn (0-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After West Liberty went down in order to start the game in the top of the first inning, Indiana (PA) would take advantage to strike first and score the first run of the game in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single to right center to make it 1-0.
• The Hilltoppers gained a pair of base runners in the top of the second inning as Brad Goodyear notched the first hit of the contest for WLU with a single up the middle and Luke Foley drew a walk, however the Hilltoppers were unable to answer the first run of the game for IUP as the pair would be left stranded with a strikeout ending the inning.
• The Crimson Hawks extended their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second as they scored three runs off three hits with one run crossing the plate due to a throwing error and two scoring on a 2-RBI single to center field.
• After WLU was held scoreless in the top of the third and left one runner stranded, Indiana (PA) stretched the lead once again in the bottom half of the frame with a pair of runs. IUP scored one run on a triple to right field and one the ensuing at-bat on a single up the middle, however they left a pair of runners stranded on base as West Liberty limited the damage to two runs as the score pushed to 6-0.
• The Hilltoppers drew a second consecutive lead off walk to start the top of the fourth inning as Will Balgo reached first base, however the Black & Gold remained scoreless as the Crimson Hawks shut down the inning once again with three straight outs.
• IUP scored one run in the bottom of the fourth with a solo homerun over the right field fence before West Liberty was able to respond and get on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning as Trevor Thomas knocked a double down the left field line to score Noah Mildren, who had singled up the middle the prior at-bat, making it a 7-1 ball game.
• Indiana (PA) scored in their fifth consecutive inning to open the contest as a 2-RBI double to left field extended their lead to 9-1 in the bottom of the fifth.
• The Hilltoppers capped the scoring in the contest with one run in the top of the sixth as Hunter White reached safely on a fielder's choice, allowing for Balgo to score after he reached base due to an error earlier in the inning, cutting the deficit to 9-2.
• The WLU relief pitchers settled in the final three innings of play, as Evan Barnes, Greg Geis, and Craig Wilson each pitched 1.0 scoreless inning of action and tallied one strikeout apiece to close the game. Barnes and Geis each allowed just one IUP base runner by way of hits, while Wilson's lone base runner allowed came by way of a walk.
• The Hilltoppers had opportunities to trim into the deficit in the later stages of the game as they left six base runners stranded during the final three innings of play. In the top of the seventh Garrett Scott and Mildren each drew walks to open the frame and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, however the scoring threat came to a close with a fielder's choice, ground out, and line out. In the top of the eighth inning, Foley and Alex Hawkins recorded back-to-back 2-out singles, but IUP got out of the jam with a pop up to second base. In the top of the ninth, Mildren hit a lead off double down the right field line and Thomas connected on a single to left field to put runners on the corners with no outs, but back-to-back strikeouts ensued prior to Thomas advancing into scoring position on a stolen base. The game came to a close with a fly out to center field.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS
Noah Mildren: 2-for-4, 1 double, 1 walk, 1 run scored
Trevor Thomas: 2-for-5, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
Brad Goodyear: 2-for-5
Evan Barnes: 1.0 inning pitched, 1 hit allowed, 0 runs allowed, 1 strikeout
Greg Geis: 1.0 inning pitched, 1 hit allowed, 0 runs allowed, 1 strikeout
Craig Wilson: 1.0 inning pitched, 0 hits allowed, 0 runs allowed, 1 strikeout
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty returns to the hilltop this weekend for their first games at Kovalick Field since mid-March, as they welcome Salem to town for a 4-game series on Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14. The Hilltoppers and Tigers are slated for 1 and 4 p.m. first pitch times on both days. Between the games on Saturday afternoon WLU will celebrate the historic success of baseball on the hilltop, welcoming back to campus the 1964 NAIA National Champions, who clinched the first-ever national title by a West Liberty team in any sport.