West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team fell to (RV) Seton Hill by a score of 19-5 in a single 9-inning contest on Tuesday afternoon, ending a stretch of five consecutive home non-conference games at Kovalick Field over the past three days. The Griffins seized control of the game early in the match-up as they jumped out to a 14-4 lead after four innings of play. In a bullpen game for each team, a total of 17 different pitchers saw the mound on the day as SHU held an edge in strikeouts, 12-7.
QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: West Liberty 5, (RV) Seton Hill 19
Team Records: West Liberty 8-28 (4-12 MEC), (RV) Seton Hill 24-12 (9-7 PSAC)
Attendance: 104
Pitching Decision: Win: Brian Pirone (2-0), Loss: Joey Medkeff (0-2)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Seton Hill struck first in the match-up with one run in the top of the first off a wild pitch.
• Noah Mildren and Ryan Talbert were each hit by a pitch to give West Liberty a pair of base runners with no outs, and they advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. They would be left stranded in scoring position as a line out to first base ended the frame.
• The Griffins then added five more runs in the top of the second to take a 6-0 lead. In the second they scored one run on a bases loaded hit by pitch, one run on a bases loaded walk, two runs on a single through the left side, and one run on a wild pitch.
• West Liberty provided a big response in the bottom of the second inning as they cut the deficit down to two runs, plating four runs off five hits and a SHU error. The Hilltoppers first run came as Luke Marsh singled through the right side to bring home Will Balgo, who got the inning started with a leadoff single through the right side. After reaching base by way of a single up the middle, Kobe Hill eventually came around for the second run of the frame as he crossed the plate on an error. The ensuing at-bat Talbert knocked a 2-RBI double to center field to score Marsh and Garrett Scott.
• The Griffins continued their offensive barrage in the top of the third inning as they seized momentum for good, scoring seven runs to make it a 13-4 ball game midway through the third. Scoring in the inning occurred with one run on a bases loaded walk, one run on a passed ball, one run on a double to right field, one run on a sacrifice fly out to right field, two runs on a homerun to right field, and one final run on another bases loaded walk.
• After the Hilltoppers went 3-up, 3-down in the bottom of the third, SHU added one run via a solo homerun off the left field pole to make their lead 14-4 in the top of the fourth.
• West Liberty left a base runner stranded in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings but tacked on one run in the sixth as an RBI single through the left side by James Salvatori brought home Marsh, who had single to right field earlier in the frame, to cut the deficit to 14-5.
• Seton Hill added four runs in the top of the seventh with a 2-RBI double down the left field line and a 2-RBI single to center field pushing the score to 18-5.
• After a strikeout and a fly out to center field to begin WLU's half of the seventh inning, Balgo knocked a 2-out double into right field but would be stranded on another fly out to center to end the inning.
• The Griffins scored their final run of the contest on a ground out to Thomas at shortstop, making it a 19-5 ball game.
• Talbert and Brad Goodyear reached base with singles in the bottom of the ninth inning, however SHU closed out the game with back-to-back strikeouts. 

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS
Ryan Talbert: 3-for-3, 1 double, 2 RBI
James Salvatori: 2-for-5, 1 double, 1 RBI
Will Balgo: 2-for-5, 1 double, 1 run scored
Luke Marsh: 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 runs scored
Luke Foley: 2.0 innings pitched, 3 strikeouts
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will return to Mountain East Conference play this weekend as they travel to Avon, Ohio, to face Notre Dame in a north division clash. The Hilltoppers and Falcons are slated for a 1 and 4 p.m. first pitch on both Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21, at Mercy Health Stadium.