Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The University of Charleston baseball team got off to a rough start in Mountain East Conference play Friday afternoon by dropping a doubleheader to West Liberty University at Triana Field.

The Hilltoppers (4-1, 2-0) pounded out 22 hits on Golden Eagle pitchers in posting 9-0 and 3-2 wins against the Golden Eagles (3-2, 0-2).

In the opener, Hilltopper Mark Smyth dominated UC hitters in a 5-hit shutout and West Liberty jumped on the hosts with 7 runs in the first two innings to give Smyth plenty of breathing room.

Senior starter Alec Austin struggled in his second start of 2014, working just three innings.  He gave up seven runs on eight hits and walked four in his three innings of work.  UC senior second baseman Brad Johnson accounted for two of Charleston's five hits in the game, going 2-for-3 with two singles.

In the second game, WLU snapped a 1-1 tie with two runs in the top of the second and the mound duo of Dylan Grosul and Greg Stagani made those stand up to complete the sweep of Charleston.

UC trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of one, but  a Brunetti single drove in Ryan Foster who doubled to lead off the inning to tie the game.  The Toppers added two runs in the third off Charleston starter Andy Hoyer who was making his second start of 2014 and second of his young UC career.  Hoyer had another strong start despite the loss, giving up just three runs in five and two thirds innings, striking out three Topper batters.

Trailing 3-1 in the third, UC pulled within a run after Josh Easterling drew a bases-loaded walk to make the score 3-2.  Charleston couldn't take advantage of the bases being full, leaving them full of Eagles going into the fourth.

UC threatened in the final inning as Johnson came to the plate with two outs and a runner on third but couldn't deliver the tying hit, leaving Charleston with a 3-2 loss to the Toppers.

Foster and Brunetti each went 2-for-4 from the plate with Foster doubling twice.

The teams will close out the weekend series on Saturday with another doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m.
 
BASEBALL
West Liberty 9, Charleston 0
West Liberty                     430 002 0 – 9  12  0
Charleston                         000 000 0 – 0    5  1
    WLU: Smyth wp (7SO, 0W) and Carranza. Snare 2S, 4rbi; Pounds 2S, 2rbi; Busby 2S; Brunner 2S; Carranza S, rbi
    UC: Austin lp (2SO, 4W), Hooper (4) (1SO, 1W), Yingling (6) (0SO, 0W) and Kirk. Johnson 2S.
 
West Liberty 3, Charleston 2
West Liberty                     120 000 0 – 3  10  0
Charleston                         101 000 0 – 2    7  1
    WLU: Grosul wp (4SO, 3W), Stagani (6) (2SO, 1W) and Francis. Busby D, S, rbi; Meyer 2S; Mirandy 2S; Brunner S, rbi
    UC: Hoyer lp (3SO, 1W) and Gunter. Foster 2D; Burnetti 2S, rbi