Comet baseball knocks out Louisa-Muscatine
by Lindsay Hoeppner · July 14, 2010

The West Liberty High School baseball squad greeted Louisa-Muscatine with red hot bats, scoring three runs in the first inning, propelling the Comets to a 7-3 victory during the first round of Class 2A district action Saturday at Wilton.

“We played well,” West Liberty coach Troy Wulf said.

Well, indeed.

Avery Meyers started the game off right, throwing two strikeouts at the first two Falcon at bats. The two outs were sequentially followed by a fly out to center field.

The Comets didn’t stop there, though.

Ryne Paul led off with a double at bat, which was answered by an RBI-double from Gage Shellady. Meyers finished the job with a powerhouse two-run homer.

West Liberty led 3-0 going into the fifth inning, when a Louisa-Muscatine batter hit a ground-rule double. The next batter was hit by one of Meyers’ pitches and a Comet throwing error led to the Falcons scoring two runs.

The Falcons scored one more run in the top of the sixth, but that was their only glimpse at the scoreboard.

West Liberty came out ready to answer the challenge.

In the bottom of the sixth, Chase Hamilton slammed a double at bat, which was followed up with an RBI-single from Jose Eusquiano. Andrew Franks hit a single and Bucky Van Dusen was walked. Carlos Jacques was also walked, and Eusquiano scored on a wild pitch. Paul knocked out an RBI-single and Shellady followed suit with another, putting the Comets up 7-3 to end the contest.

West Liberty (6-18) was scheduled to face off against No. 6 Wilton (22-6) in a Class 2A district semifinal Tuesday night at Wilton.

“I just expect us to come out and play with some energy and put forth the best effort we can,” Wulf said. “It will definitely be a challenge.”