WILLIAMSBURG - Mount Union's baseball team came out with four runs in the first inning Wednesday then just kept going, adding six more in the fourth to take a 13-0, five-inning shutout against Inter-County Conference foe Williamsburg.
It was an impressive effort to veteran skipper Nick Imperioli, whose team managed only a 5-4 win over the Blue Pirates in their first meet - when they were the home team.
"We've always had close games. I anticipated a really tough, close game and today we just came out hitting," Imperioli said. "It was exciting to see us hit the ball like this."
Imperioli said it was his team's best offensive effort of the season. The Trojans started with six hits in the first, all ropes, he said, and ended the contest with 17 hits total. Among those were a Klayton Heffner triple and doubles from Trevon Walker, Thad Wakefield and Boomer Brown.
"It's kind of nice seeing these young kids hitting the way they're playing," the coach said.
He also noted Darrian Stapleton's win on the mound - the hurler went the distance, throwing 47 strikes out of 65 pitches.
Mount Union (8-3, 7-2) hosts West Branch Friday.
Baseball
Lewisburg 16, Midd-West 9
MIDDLEBURG - Two different times Midd-West had a chance to break its game with Lewisburg wide open. Both of those times saw a Mustang hitter go down on strikes to end the threats.
That inability to get a key hit led Midd-West to fall at the hands of Lewisburg, 16-9, in Heartland Conference baseball action Wednesday.
"We just can't get the key hits," Midd-West coach Ron Flood said. "We left them off the hook when we had the bases loaded in the second and the fourth."
Lewisburg scored eight runs in the fourth and seven in the seventh for the win. Although the Mustangs added three in the final frame, it was already too late.
"We didn't quit today," Flood said. "But we just commit errors and everyone of them bites us."
Midd-West (1-10, 1-8) travels to Shikellamy Wednesday.
Softball
Mount Union 11, Williamsburg 5
WILLIAMSBURG - Mount Union got home runs from Katie Smith and Brittany Brumbaugh as the Trojans overcame an early lead to beat Williamsburg, 11-5, in Inter-County Conference softball.
Mount Union coach Matt Fiscus said he was pleased his team was able to dig out against what he called an improved Blue Pirates squad.
"We worked out of some situations and had a couple double plays to get ourselves out of some jams," he said. "We were behind for much of the game and finally put some hits together ourselves."
The Trojans were able to hold Williamsburg despite the home team matching their 13 hits in the game. But Mount Union had the big hits, with a trio of triples to go with the home runs.
Mount Union (10-2) travels to West Branch Friday.
