KING, N.C. – The West Liberty University baseball team presented new head coach Eric Burkle with his first collegiate coaching win on Sunday, outslugging St Augustine’s (N.C.), 16-10, on the second day of the CIAA-WVIAC Challenge.
The Hilltoppers (1-1) pounded out 14 hits and got an outstanding performance from the bullpen in getting back to the .500 mark.
West Liberty overcame an early 2-0 deficit with a 7-run uprising in the top of the third inning and added 7 more tallies in the fifth inning to take a 14-2 lead.
The Falcons (5-5) came to life with 6 runs in their half of the fifth to close the gap but Hilltopper relievers Chris Secore, Jared Taylor and Jordan Daugherty strung together four innings of one-hit relief to preserve the win for Grosul.
Jarrod Falasca led the West Liberty attack with 5 singles and an RBI while Taylor Snare had the big blow of the day, a 2-out grand slam in the third inning, along with a single. Travis Denman drove in 2 runs with a single and double while Josh Nagel had a double and 2 RBIs. Anthony Pierro and Mike Johnson checked in with a single and 2 RBIs each.
BASEBALL
CIAA-WVIAC Challenge
(at King, N.C.)
West Liberty 007 070 020 – 16 14 4
St. Augustine’s 110 061 010 – 10 10 2
WL: Grosul wp (5SO, 0W), Secore (6) (0SO, 0W), Taylor (8) (0SO, 0W), Daugherty (9) (0SO, 0W) and Nagel. Falasca 5S, rbi; Snare HR, S, 4rbi; Denman D, S, 2rbi; Nagel D, 2rbi; Pierro S, 2rbi; Johnson S, 2rbi
StA: Hamilton lp (2SO, 4W), Edwards (5) (2SO, 1W) and Washington. Rogers HR, D, 2rbi; Hall D, S; Todd S, 2rbi
