FROSTBURG, Md. – The West Liberty University baseball team picked up its fourth win in the last five games here Saturday with a 4-1 victory against Frostburg State in the second game of a Mountain East Conference doubleheader.
The North Division-leading Bobcats (27-9, 17-5) had snapped WLU's three-game winning streak in the opener, coming from behind for a 7-5 win at Bob Wells Field.
Ian Brady and Ethan Conley teamed up on the mound to hold the potent FSU offense at bay in the second game while the Hilltopper bats cranked out 10 hits.
Brady worked the first five innings to get the win, striking out four and not walking a batter, while Conley earned the save with two innings of one-hit scoreless relief.
Zach Hawkins had the big hit of the game for the Black and Gold. His two-run double broke up a scoreless tie and highlighted a three-run uprising for the visitors in the top of the fourth.
Ty Helmke had two singles and a pair of highlight-reel defensive plays in centerfield. Jake Sherman added a pair of hits while Ryan Talbert and Kaden Blomquist each singled and drove in a run.
In the opener, West Liberty jumped out to an early 4-0 lead but couldn't hang on. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Frostburg led off the inning with a home run, single, double and another circuit blast to take a 7-4 lead into the seventh.
The Hilltoppers got a run back in the final frame and had the tying runs on second and third only to see FSU reliever Jacob Stretch get a swinging strikeout to end the game.
Kayne McGee and Brad Goodyear each singled and doubled to drive in two runs for WLU. Connor Ferguson singled twice and drove in a run while Sherman had two singles and scored three runs.
The teams return to Bob Wells Field on Sunday for another doubleheader. Game One starts at 1 p.m.
BASEBALL
Frostburg State 7, West Liberty 5
West Liberty 220 000 1 - 5 8 2
Frostburg State 010 204 x - 7 9 2
WLU: Pennybacker (6SO, 4W), Aulick lp (6) (0SO, 1W) and Rine. McGee D, S, 2rbi; Goodyear D, S, 2rbi; Ferguson 2S, rbi; Sherman 2S
FSU: Proctor (1SO, 3W), Wandell wp (2) (5SO, 0W), Stretch (7) (1SO, 0W) and Jimenez, Benitez (5). Estrada HR, 2S, 2rbi; Jones 2S; Kiple HR, 2rbi; Jackson D, rbi
West Liberty 4, Frostburg State 1
West Liberty 000 300 1 - 4 10 1
Frostburg State 000 100 0 - 1 9 2
WLU: Brady (4SO, 0W), Conley (6) (0SO, 1W) and Z.Hawkins. Helmke 2S; Sherman 2S; Z.Hawkins D, 2rbi; Talbert S, rbi; Blomquist S, rbi
FSU: Kiple (8SO, 0W), Huyer (4) (3SO, 0W), Bacon (7) (0SO, 0W) and Duda. Duda D, S, rbi; Jones 2S; Jackson 2S; Kiple D