WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University baseball team will close out its regular season with a four-game series against county rival Wheeling University this weekend.

The series begins Friday night under the lights at the JB Chambers I-470 Complex, with a doubleheader scheduled for 7:00 and 9:30 p.m. The action then shifts to Kovalick Field on the Hilltop for a Sunday twinbill, with first pitches slated for 1:00 and 3:30 p.m.

The two teams split last year's four-game series, but Wheeling holds a slight edge in recent history, winning seven of the last ten matchups. West Liberty enters the weekend at 21-25 overall and 11-13 in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play, currently sitting fourth in the North Division. Wheeling, meanwhile, comes in at 13-32 overall and 4-20 in MEC action.

The Hilltoppers are 5-3 at home this season and 11-14 on the road. The Cardinals have posted a 9-10 record at home and are 3-19 in away games.

Offensively, West Liberty is hitting .281 as a team—sixth-best in the MEC—while Wheeling ranks ninth with a .255 average. On the mound, the Hilltoppers have a 7.48 team ERA (9th MEC), with Wheeling slightly better at 6.81 (8th MEC).

Will Balgo leads the Black and Gold at the plate with a .363 batting average, ranking 10th in the MEC. Ryan Talbert (.308) and Luke Marsh (.302) also enter the series hitting over .300. William Glick paces the team in RBIs with 44, good for fifth in the conference, while Talbert has driven in 33 (14th MEC).

For Wheeling, Brett Johnson leads the offense with a .325 batting average. Keaton Ference has a team-high 22 RBIs.

On the mound, Tyler Skeen anchors the Hilltoppers' staff with a 5.23 ERA and 46 strikeouts, ranking 12th in the MEC in both categories. Wheeling's Jaden Wilcox also carries a 5.23 ERA and ranks third in the league with 58 strikeouts. Wes Landis adds to the Cardinals' pitching depth with 53 strikeouts, good for eighth in the MEC.