BUCKHANNON, W.Va.-- Hunter Eplin pieced together a strong outing in game two of the West Virginia Wesleyan (0-19, 0-8 MEC) baseball teams doubleheader against the West Liberty Hilltoppers (4-17, 4-4 MEC). Eplin tossed five innings of relief work on Tuesday (Mar. 29) while surrendering one unearned run and punched out four Hilltoppers. The Bobcats dropped both games at Hank Ellis Field, losing game one 17-9 and game two 6-5.
 
Game One
The Hilltoppers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning on a pair of two-RBI base hits. Sam Ingram got the 'Cats going in the bottom half of the inning with a lead-off double. The next batter, Jack Tilton reached base after the Hilltopper centerfielder lost a fly ball in the sun to put runners in scoring position. Devin Johnson scored Ingram on a fielders choice before Thatcher Poteat doubled to the left center gap to make it 4-3. Poteat later scored on an Eplin single to center to tie the game.
 
WVWC took the lead in the bottom of the third, when David Sanders blooped one over the shortstops head into left field to plate Leo White. WLU would score 13 unanswered runs to make it 17-5 in the top of the seventh. In the Bobcats last at bats, Dominic Lough singled to left field to lead off the inning, Dylan Poplin walked before Devin Johnson scored the Lough on a double to right center. The next two batters, Martin Radosevic and White both walked to bring around Poplin and make it 17-7. WVWC would score two more runs in the final inning to make it 17-9.
 
Aj Ventry (0-3) recorded the loss throwing 3.1 innings of relief work while only surrendering two earned runs, while striking out a pair of Hilltoppers.
 
Game Two
WLU got off to a hot start in game two taking a 5-1 lead after two innings of play. The Orange and Black would begin to chip away at the deficit in the bottom of the third. Johnson Doubled down the left field line to lead off the inning, and Radosevich pulled a ball to right field for a single to bring around Johnson. Two batters later, Matt Turner doubled to left field to score Radosevich to make it 5-3.
 
WVWC would bring another run around until the bottom of the sixth. After Poplin and Tilton were both hit by pitches, Radosevic reached base on an infield single to help Poplin score and bring the score to 6-4 Hilltoppers. The Bobcats got the tying run in scoring position in the seventh after a Gabe Mustovic sac bunt. Ingram legged out an RBI infield single to make it 6-5. However, the Bobcats could not score the tying run.
 
Aaron Bradley (0-1) received the loss in game two throwing two innings and striking out one. Eplin's impressive performance on the mound limited the Hilltopper bats all afternoon as he only surrendered four baserunners in his five innings of work.
 
Up Next
The Bobcats hit the road for a weekend series against Alderson Broaddus on Saturday (Apr. 2) before they head to Notre Dame (Ohio) the following day for a doubleheader