WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – In a tightly contested opener of Saturday's doubleheader, West Liberty used strong pitching and timely hitting to secure a 1-0 victory over Salem at Kovalick Field.
The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Kobe Hill roped his second hit of the day and advanced to third, Adam Och crossed the plate on a perfectly placed infield single from Noah Mildren. Hill was thrown out at the plate on the play, but the damage was done as West Liberty took a lead they would not relinquish.
The Hilltopper offense managed five hits on the day, led by Hill's 2-for-2 performance and Och's clutch base hit. Jacob Sherman also reached base twice with a hit and a walk.
On the mound, Tyler Skeen was in control from the start, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and striking out two. Ryan Clark came on in relief and picked up his first save of the season, working the final two frames to preserve the shutout. The Hilltoppers' defense came through as well, turning a pair of double plays to keep Salem off the board despite their six total hits.
With the win, Skeen improves to 4-4 on the season while the Hilltoppers set the tone for the day with a hard-fought win in game one.
Game 2
West Liberty fell in game two of Saturday's doubleheader against Salem, 17-4, as the visiting Tigers' offense came out firing and never let up.
The Hilltoppers (18-21) got off to a promising start after falling behind early. Will Balgo continued his strong day at the plate, driving in West Liberty's first run with an RBI single in the bottom of the first to cut into Salem's 2-0 lead. Balgo finished the day 2-for-3 with three RBIs, including a solo home run in the fourth inning—his second long ball of the day if he also homered in game one.
Connor Huzicka added a spark in the sixth with a solo shot to left field, and Ryan Talbert contributed a double and a run scored. West Liberty managed seven hits on the day, but couldn't keep pace with a Salem offense that capitalized on nearly every opportunity.
The Tigers scored in each of the first six innings, posting multiple runs in five of them. Starter Mason Bille took the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) over two innings. The Hilltopper bullpen battled through tough spots but struggled with command at times, issuing seven walks and hitting six batters.
The Toppers and Tigers will be back at it Saturday in another doubleheader at Kovalick Field at 1 and 3:30 p.m.
