West Liberty, W.Va. — The West Liberty Hilltoppers put together a commanding performance on both sides of the ball to blank visiting West Virginia Wesleyan, 7–0, in Mountain East Conference doubleheader play, Sunday. Powered by multi-hit performances from several players and a quality start from right-hander Kristopher Skeen, West Liberty rolled to an 8–1 win in Game 2 at Kovalick Field to sweep the series
.
The Toppers' Chase Lautner twirled a complete-game shutout over seven innings, scattering just three hits while striking out four and walking three. The sophomore was efficient, facing just three batters over the minimum thanks to strong defensive support, including a timely double play and heads-up plays in the field.
Lautner's outing never wavered, and Wesleyan never managed to mount a serious threat, reaching second base only twice in the entire game.
Leadoff hitter Jacob Sherman ignited the Hilltoppers' offense in the opening frame with a single and a stolen base, eventually coming home on a sacrifice fly by Will Balgo to make it 1–0. Sherman was a constant thorn in the Bobcats' side, finishing 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs, and a two-run homer in the fourth inning that broke the game wide open.
Sherman's home run, a no-doubter to left, came after Noah Mildren worked a walk, stretching the Hilltopper lead to 4–0.
West Liberty erupted for three runs in the bottom of the fifth to bury any hopes of a Wesleyan comeback. Balgo led off with his second hit of the day, and Connor Huzicka followed with a double down the line. Adam Och then ripped an RBI double and later scored on a single by Kobe Hill, who also swiped a base in the inning. The Bobcats' left fielder misfired on the relay, allowing Och to advance an extra 90 feet.
Wesleyan starter
Anthony Hernandez lasted four innings, surrendering 11 hits and all seven runs (all earned). Despite a clean first inning defensively, things quickly unraveled.
At the plate, Wesleyan managed just three hits—singles by
Josh Ayala and
Grant Shumaker, and a double from
Jack Tilton. Only one runner reached third base all game. The Bobcats struck out four times and grounded into a critical double play in the sixth that erased their lone extra-base hit.
The Hilltoppers wasted no time continuing its offensive onslaught in Game 2 of the weekend doubleheader by jumping on Bobcat starter
Drew Evans, plating three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jacob Sherman led off with a single and promptly stole second. After a walk to Ryan Talbert and a defensive miscue at second base, Sherman scored the game's first run. RBI singles by Connor Huzicka and Will Balgo followed, pushing the lead to 3–0.
It was déjà vu in the second as Talbert launched a two-run homer, following a walk to Noah Mildren. Two batters later, Balgo added a solo shot of his own, extending the West Liberty lead to 6–0.
Balgo continued his torrid afternoon at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, a stolen base, and a team-high in hits. His solo shot in the second and RBI single in the fourth capped off a six-run explosion across the first four innings.
Sherman, Huzicka, and William Glick all contributed hits as part of a 10-hit effort from the Hilltoppers, who also swiped three bags and capitalized on two Bobcat errors.
On the mound, Kristopher Skeen turned in a strong outing, tossing six innings of three-hit baseball while striking out six and walking two. His lone blemish came in the sixth, when Wesleyan finally scratched across a run on an RBI single from designated hitter
Drew Jrolf.
Wesleyan's offense struggled once again, collecting only three hits—two of them coming off the bat of Jrolf, who finished 2-for-2 with a walk and his team's only RBI.
Ethan Fraley added a double in the fifth but was cut down trying to stretch it into a triple.
The Bobcats struck out eight times, stranded five runners, and were unable to take advantage of early opportunities created by two Hilltopper errors.
Wesleyan hosts Bluefield State in a doubleheader at Hank Ellis Field that starts at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 25.
