West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team is set to close out the 2024 season this weekend as they will play a 4-game series against Ohio County rivals, Wheeling. The first doubleheader of the series on Friday, May 3, will be home games for the Cardinals with a 4:30 and 7 p.m. first pitch at the JB Chambers I-470 Complex in Wheeling, while the final pair of games will then shift to the hilltop with 1 and 4 p.m. first pitch times on Sunday, May 5, at Kovalick Field. In between the pair of games on Sunday afternoon, the Black & Gold will also recognize three seniors within their program as they will honor Greg Geis, Brad Goodyear, and Alex Hawkins.

GAME DETAILS

• Location (Friday): Wheeling, West Virginia (JB Chambers I-470 Complex)
• First Pitch (Friday): 4:30 and 7 p.m.
• Location (Sunday): West Liberty, West Virginia (Kovalick Field)
• First Pitch (Sunday): 1 and 4 p.m.

WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES

• West Liberty enters the 4-game weekend series with a record of 10-36 (6-18 MEC) after being swept in last weekend's series to Fairmont State by scores of 4-3 (8 Inn.), 14-8, 7-4, and 8-2.
• The Hilltoppers are currently tied for fourth place in the MEC North Division standings with Notre Dame.
• As a team, WLU has hit .277 with 364 hits, 82 doubles, 15 triples, 33 homeruns, 231 RBI, and 253 runs scored through 46 games played.
• James Salvatori holds a batting average of .355 and adds a .411 on-base percentage, a .737 slugging percentage, and a 1.148 on-base plus slugging percentage. He has tallied 54 hits, ten doubles, six triples, 12 homeruns, 46 RBI, and 36 runs scored. Salvatori leads the MEC in triples and ranks ninth in NCAA Division II. Additionally, he ranks fourth in the league in homeruns and RBI and is fifth in slugging percentage, ranking 44^th nationally in slugging percentage and 78^th in homeruns. On the base paths he is 15-for-17 on stolen base attempts.
• Ryan Talbert is also hitting above .300 with a batting average of .306, while adding an on-base percentage of .426, a slugging percentage of .528, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .954. He has tallied 44 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, five homeruns, 25 RBI, and 33 runs scored. He has recorded a hit in nine of his last 14 games played, including five multi-hit games during that time span.
• The Hilltoppers' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 9.60, allowing 460 hits and 276 walks, while throwing 189 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .344 batting average against WLU pitchers.
• Jacob Watson is 2-2 in six starts and 13 appearances in 2024, holding an ERA of 6.65, a WHIP of 1.87, and has held opponents to a .317 batting average in 46.0 innings of work on the mound. He has struck out 15 batters this year, including a season-high of three on three separate occasions.
• Trevor Thomas has made six appearances while making two starts as he has posted an ERA of 5.06, a WHIP of 1.78, and an opponent's batting average of .263. In 21.1 innings of work on the mound he has thrown one complete game and has struck out eight during the season.
• In ten starts and appearances, Tanner Pelaez holds a 4-6 record on the year with an ERA of 7.80, a WHIP of 2.04, and has held opponents to a .320 batting average. He has struck out 22 batters this season, including a season-high of five against Frostburg State.
• Eric Burkle is in his 12^th season as the head coach at West Liberty with a career record of 231-317 during his time with the Hilltoppers.

WHEELING STORYLINES

• Wheeling enters the 4-game weekend series with a record of 23-22 (11-13 MEC) this season after splitting a 4-game series at home against Salem last weekend. The Cardinals won games one and three by scores of 13-6 and 4-2, while the Tigers earned victories in games two and four.
• The Cardinals are currently in third place in the MEC North Division standings.
• As a team, WU has hit .287 with 386 hits, 69 doubles, 11 triples, 45 homeruns, 292 RBI, and 317 runs scored through 45 games played this season.
• Nicholas Ancelet leads Wheeling at the plate, hitting .346 with an on-base percentage of .450, a slugging percentage of .466, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .916. He has tallied 46 hits, five doubles, four triples, one homerun, 27 RBI, and 30 runs scored. He has recorded a hit in eight of his last 11 games played, including six multi-hit contests during that time span. On the base paths he is 17-of-20 on stolen base attempts.
• Braden Killens is second on the team with a .340 batting average, a .442 on-base percentage, a .693 slugging percentage, and a 1.135 on-base plus slugging percentage. He has tallied 52 hits, ten doubles, one triple, 14 homeruns, 49 RBI, and 42 runs scored. He has recorded a hit in seven consecutive games and 15 of the last 17 games he appeared in.
• Rounding out the four players hitting above .300 this season for the Cardinals are Aidan Willard (.322) and Scott Kondroik (.307).
• The Cardinals' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 6.10, allowing 403 hits and 170 walks, while throwing 307 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .296 batting average against WU pitchers.
• Nicholas Martinez holds the best ERA by a Wheeling pitcher this season at 3.74, while adding a 1.62 WHIP, an opponent's batting average of .317, and 37 strikeouts. He has thrown 45.2 innings on the mound in 12 appearances with ten starts, posting a 4-0 record.
• Another starting pitcher to watch for WU is Kody McCarley, who holds an ERA of 4.47, a WHIP of 1.56, an opponent's batting average of .304, and 50 strikeouts. He has thrown 56.1 innings on the mound in 12 appearances with ten starts, notching a pair of complete games while posting a 6-2 record.
• The top relief pitcher for the Cardinals is Sebastian Khan who holds an ERA of 5.09, a WHIP of 1.25, an opponent's batting average of .164, and 24 strikeouts. He has thrown 17.2 innings on the mound in appearances, posting an 0-1 record and one save.
• Ryan Lewicki is in his sixth season as the head coach at Wheeling with a career record of 121-123 during his time with the Cardinals.

SERIES HISTORY

• Since the 2011 season, Wheeling holds a narrow 21-20 advantage in the series and has won seven of the last eight games in the series.
• The Cardinals won the most recent match-up between the teams in the second round of last season's MEC Tournament in Charleston, West Virginia, on May 12, 2023, as they earned a 5-3 win.