West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team fell in a pair of non-conference match-ups to Shepherd on Wednesday afternoon as they dropped the contests by scores of 13-9 and 8-0 at Kovalick Field. Six early runs in the first and second innings of game one for the Rams proved to be too much for the Hilltoppers to overcome, as the Black & Gold ended the game by answering every punch that Shepherd threw at them and trimmed the deficit to four in the final inning of play. In game two West Liberty's offense was shut down at the plate as they fell victims to a no-hitter for the first time since March 6, 2021, when they dropped a 1-0 contest at Pitt-Johnstown.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score: West Liberty 9, Shepherd 13
Team Records: West Liberty 10-31 (6-14 MEC), Shepherd 17-20 (11-13 PSAC)
Attendance: 137
Pitching Decision: Win: Cameron Morales (1-0), Loss: Stephen Graebe (0-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• Shepherd opened the non-conference doubleheader with four runs in the top of the first inning of game one, scoring three runs on a bases clearing triple to left center and one run on a single to right center the ensuing at-bat to make it a 4-0 contest.
• Jacob Sherman hit a leadoff double through the right side to begin the bottom of the first for West Liberty, however he would be left stranded as the Rams collected three consecutive outs.
• The Rams extended their lead to 6-0 in the top of the second as they saw one run cross the plate on a fielder's choice play and an error, and then one run scored on a sacrifice fly out to Sherman in right field.
• After a walk loaded the bases for Shepherd in the top of the third, Trevor Thomas corralled a ground ball at shortstop and fired it over to Will Balgo at first to get the Hilltoppers out of a bases loaded jam and kept the deficit at 6-0.
• Following four runs from SU to push their lead to 10-0 in the top of the fourth, WLU eventually answered with four runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. The Black & Gold broke through on the scoreboard when Balgo hit a single to right field to score Ryan Talbert and James Salvatori. Later in the frame a pair of bases loaded walks allowed Balgo and Kobe Hill to cross the plate to make it a 10-4 ball game.
• Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth inning but got the offenses back on track in the sixth as they each scored a pair of runs. In the top half of the frame the Rams scored one run on a single through the left side and one run on a single to right center. In the bottom half of the frame Luke Marsh hit an infield single back to the pitcher to allow Hill to score, who connected on a leadoff single up the middle to reach base, and Salvatori singled through the left side to score Noah Mildren, who singled through the right side to reach base, as the score became 12-6.
• Shepherd tacked on one final run in the top of the seventh inning with an RBI double to left center pushing their lead to 13-6.
• West Liberty put together one final rally as they closed the gap to four runs but were unable to get any closer as a fly out to right field ended the contest. Balgo drove in the first run of the inning for WLU with a double to center field to score Thomas, who hit a leadoff double to center field the prior at-bat. Later in the frame Mildren reached on a fielder's choice to score Balgo, and the final run occurred when Sherman doubled to left field to bring Kameron Jackson across the plate.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1
Jacob Sherman: 2-for-4, 2 doubles, 1 walk, 2 RBI
Will Balgo: 2-for-4, 1 double, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored
Kobe Hill: 2-for-3, 1 walk, 2 runs scored
James Salvatori: 1-for-4, 1 walk, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 3 stolen bases
 
QUICK DETAILS – GAME 2
Final Score: West Liberty 0, Shepherd 8
Team Records: West Liberty 10-32 (6-14 MEC), Shepherd 18-20 (11-13 PSAC)
Attendance: 104
Pitching Decision: Win: John Dhima (1-0), Loss: Mason Bille (0-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• Mason Bille started the second game of the day with a pair of strikeouts as West Liberty sent Shepherd down in order in the top of the first inning, however John Dhima and the Rams would do the same exact thing as the Hilltoppers went down in order with a pair of strikeouts in the bottom half of the frame.
• SU struck first in the top of the second as they scored two runs on a double to left field and one run on a single to center field to make it a 3-0 ball game. Dhima continued to set the tone for Shepherd on the mound as he struck out another pair of Hilltoppers in the bottom of the second before the Rams added four more runs in the top of the third as two crossed the plate on a triple to center field, followed by a 2-run homerun over the left field fence to make it 7-0.
• Garrett Scott was the lone batter standing between Dhima and a perfect game as he drew a full-count walk in the top of the third to be WLU's lone base runner of the contest. He would be left stranded on first as the Hilltoppers hit a fly out to right field and a ground out to second base to end the frame.
• Evan Barnes took the mound in relief in the top of the fourth inning and held Shepherd hitless in the frame before allowing just one hit in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.
• The final run scored in the game occurred in the top of the seventh when the Rams extended their lead to 8-0 on a solo shot over the left field fence.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 2
Garrett Scott: 0-for-1, 1 walk
Mason Bille: 3.0 innings pitched, 5 hits allowed, 3 strikeouts
Evan Barnes: 4.0 innings pitched, 3 hits allowed, 3 strikeouts
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty remains at home on the hilltop this weekend as they return to Mountain East Conference play by hosting Fairmont State in a 4-game series on Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28. The action gets underway at 1 and 4 p.m. on both days at Kovalick Field.