WEST LIBERTY, West Virginia - After a 3-1 series win against Fairmont State two weekends ago the Tigers hit the road for another four-game stint against the West Liberty Hilltoppers.

SUNDAY

Game One

The Tigers were dominant to start Sunday's doubleheader. Frankie Gulko got the start for Salem and pitched four innings of one-run ball. During which, the Tiger offense was able to put fourteen runs on the Hilltoppers. Salem was led by Mackenzie Wainwright who was able to produce four hits and drive in five runs. Throughout the afternoon Salem remained patient at the plate, walking ten times as a team to set up scoring opportunities. The Tigers didn't need to rely on the long ball in this one. They continually moved runners over with base hits to pile it on. After Gulko's four-inning start, the pen came in to finish things out. The trio of Jaxon Lehr, Ben Sitarenios, and Zack Kendall combined for three innings of work in which they allowed five runs which was enough to hold on to the Tiger's lead for a 14-6 win.

Game Two

Salem struck first in game two with an RBI double from Tyler Shinn to score Wainwright. The Tigers sent Colby Scheuber out to pitch in the bottom half and the Hilltoppers were able to get their first lead of the series with a three-run inning of work. Salem was able to reclaim their lead in the second thanks to Shinn's grand slam, but the West Liberty lineup went to work in the bottom half, knocking Scheuber out of the game before the inning was over after putting eight runs up on him for the afternoon. Salem brought in Andrew Legnize to stop the bleeding and was able to get out of the inning down 10-6. Salem's offense struggled to produce through the heart of the game while West Liberty continued to pile on runs. The Tigers looked like they might make a run at it late but time was not on their side as they fell to split the day with a final score of 11-15.

MONDAY

Game One

After a Sunday split, Salem looked to grab a commanding 2-1 series lead and give themselves an opportunity to win the weekend. Salem jumped on West Liberty immediately, putting up a seven spot in the first frame that was led by Justin George who rocked a bases-clearing double. After a rough game two on Sunday, the Tiger pitching staff got back into their rhythm. Travis Lavendier came out cruising against a Hilltoppers lineup that had no answers. Lavendier would go on to pitch a complete game and allow only two runs while the Tiger offense never cooled off, resulting in a 17-2 Tiger victory in dominating fashion.

Game Two

Once again Salem jumped out to an early lead. Up 2-0 in the top of the first Max Atkinson drilled one deep for another Tiger grand slam. The Tigers looked to Preston Richie for the final start of the series and Preston delivered. He gave up three runs in three innings of play to maintain Salem's lead before Conor Thiele came in to relieve him. The Tigers added three insurance runs in the fifth to boost their lead to 9-3 before handing the pitching reins over to Jhayden Raineri to close out the weekend. Raineri gave up a three-run shot in the bottom of the seventh but was able to end it there and deliver Salem another series win as the season begins to wind down.

The Tigers will return home for another four-game series on April 20th and 21st against Frostburg State University at 1:00 and 3:00.