WISE - - West Liberty swept a Mountain East Conference doubleheader from UVa-Wise Saturday as the visiting Hilltoppers claimed a 6-3 victory in the opener before overcoming a three-run deficit in game two to post a 9-6 win.
West Liberty (11-5, 3-1 MEC) opened a 3-0 lead after three innings in the opener and held on for the three-run win.
Nolan Marcus got the scoring going for the 'Toppers when his run-scoring single scored Matt Adams in the top of the second.
An inning later, Adams put the visitors in front 3-0 when his two-run homer soared over the centerfield wall.
Steve Klaiber put UVa-Wise (9-9, 0-4 MEC) on the board when his fly ball to right field allowed Brett Yates to tag and score from third base in the home fifth.
Ethan Estes' solo homer was the first of two runs for West Liberty in the top of the sixth as the visitors took a 5-1 lead to the bottom of the frame.
The Cavaliers would score a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth but would miss an opportunity to tie the game.
Tye Marshall reached on an error to lead off the inning, a batter later he stood on second base when Ryan Dickt was hit by pitch.
UVa-Wise loaded the bases without a hit when Bryan Andrews walked.
Matt Wright plated Marshall when he singled down the left field line. Yates brought the second run of the frame in when he grounded into a fielder's choice.
The Cavs were on the cusp of a third run when Marcus Elmore hit a grounder to shortstop D.J. Busby. Busby bobbled the ball but was still able to turn the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Adams picked up his third RBI of the game on a fielder's choice in the seventh while Yale Hughes turned in a perfect seventh to finish off his complete game five-hitter.
Hughes allowed five hits while striking out six and walking three as he won his second game of 2016.
Game two saw West Liberty again jump out to an early lead. Jordan Meyer singled and moved to third on an error with two outs in the first before scoring on a wild pitch. An inning later, Estes provided two-out damage again when he homered over the left field wall.
Justice Jackson plated the 'Toppers third run when his run-scoring hit brought Busby home in the top of the third.
Wright got UVa-Wise within a run when he lined a two-RBI single in the fourth. Cody Jewell tied the game when he scampered home on a wild pitch. Elmore completed a four-run frame when his infield single scored Wright.
The score would remain unchanged until the sixth when Klaiber hit a two-run homer over the left field wall to give the Cavs a 6-3 lead.
An RBI single by Busby made it 6-4 in the seventh before Tim Hughes' two-run homer tied the game in the eighth.
West Liberty completed its comeback when Bub Haddox singled up the middle to score Meyer; UVa-Wise compounded the problem by making an error on the play allowing both Busby and Haddox to come around to score for the 9-6 win.
Tory Fuscardo picked up the win in relief for the 'Toppers by tossing three innings of scoreless ball. Jared Finch was assessed the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) in two innings of relief work.
Freshman Dylan Luttrell was a bright spot out of the bullpen for UVa-Wise, the Spotsylvania native tossed three innings of one run ball.
