CANTON, Ohio - The Malone University baseball team split their final two games in a series with West Liberty University on Saturday. The Hilltoppers (1-7) were victorious 12-2 in game one, but the Pioneers (7-1) were able to rebound with an 8-4 triumph in the final contest of the weekend.
 
GAME ONE RECAP:
West Liberty took an early 2-0 lead when a pair of unearned runs crossed the plate in the top of the first. Malone was able to answer with one run of their own in the bottom half of the inning when Colin Coblentz hit a triple into the left center field gap. Shane Coblentz knocked him in with a sacrifice fly.
 
Five runs on six hits in the top of the third for the Hilltoppers chased the Pioneer starting pitcher Ayden Hall (1-1) from the game. Malone loaded the bases in the bottom of the third with the help of hits by Zach Root and Reilly Tyna, but left all three baserunners stranded.
 
West Liberty built upon their lead and four runs in the sixth made the score 12-1 in favor of the visitors. Colin Coblentz slugged a seventh inning solo homerun, but it was not enough in the 12-2 loss. Colin Coblentz, Root and Tyna had two hits each and combined for six of the team's seven base knocks in game one. Hall led the pitching staff with three punchouts and Cadyn Smith had a clear inning of work in relief.
 
GAME TWO RECAP:
Colin Coblentz picked up where he left off in game one with a leadoff bomb in the bottom of the first to put the Pioneers up 1-0. The Hilltoppers responded with one run of their own, but starting pitcher Ben France worked out of a jam with runners in scoring position to limit the damage.
 
France would not be as lucky in the third as three runs scored on as many hits. Shane Coblentz entered from the bullpen to start the fourth and retired the side on strikes to put down the West Liberty offense. Down 4-2, Robert Gumino laced one up the middle for an RBI single and Colin Coblentz drove in a run with a groundout to even the score.
 
In the fifth, Malone loaded the bases despite no balls leaving the infield. That set the table for Justin Fuller to give the Pioneers the lead with a bases loaded walk. Gumino added to his stellar afternoon with a two-run hit the other way and an error allowed an eighth run to cross the plate.
 
Shane Coblentz (1-0) slammed the door shut with four shutout innings. He fanned seven and allowed just one baserunner. Ethan Petak was 2-for-2 with a walk in the game and Gumino led the team with three RBIs. Root had multiple hits as well at 2-for-3 with one base on balls.
 
UP NEXT:
Malone will compete in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational beginning on March 5. The Pioneers will take on Concordia University-St. Paul qin their opening game beginning at 12:15 P.M.