West Liberty, W. Va. – “The Battle for Wheeling” raged on Wednesday afternoon as the Wheeling University Softball team (7-31, 5-15) made the trip up the hill to face West Liberty. The Cardinals got revenge from the first matchup and ended up splitting the day to improve to 5-15 in Mountain East Conference play. The Cardinals came from behind to pick up a 10-8 win in game one and followed it with a 10-5 loss in the second game to wrap up the afternoon.
Game One: Wheeling 10, West Liberty 8
The Cardinals opened up the second edition of “The Battle for Wheeling” by sending their leader to the circle in sophomore Randi Holder. After hitting the first batter of the game, Holder worked around the base runner and threw a zero on the board to start the game. In the top of the second, Makie Paxson started the inning being hit by a pitch and Wheeling would take advantage. Jenna Hollerich followed with a single, but a pair of outs kept runners at first and second with two outs. Kelsi Green would then step in and grounded a ball to third, but an error would bring Paxson and Hollerich home to put Wheeling up 2-0.
Holder came out in the second inning, pitching with the lead for the first time and threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the second., She was charged with a run in the bottom of the third, but kept her team in the lead at 2-1 after three innings of play. A seven spot by the Hilltoppers in the bottom of the third spelled the end of her day and put the Cardinals behind 8-2. Holder would end up throwing 3.1 innings of work, allowing six runs, three earned, on seven hits while striking out two. Maria Clark took over and got the final out of the inning as the Cardinals would have to battle back. Clark would throw up a big zero in the bottom of the fifth, working her way around two hits to keep it an 8-2 game.
In the top of the sixth, the Cardinals would get back on the board as Brooke Slomkowski singled to start the inning. Hollerich followed with a single and punch runner Makie Paxson got into scoring position with nobody out. A wild pitch would move both runners up to scoring position and Katie Sare came through with an RBI single to make it an 8-3 game. Candela Garcia Cabedo would then punch run for Sare and a Fielder’s Choice from Natalie Stoner would allow Hollerich to score and if became an 8-4 game. An error would allow Green to reach and Maddie Munoz stepped in with an RBI double to make it a two-run game. Anna Florczak would then draw a walk and Cassie Feyh brought a run home with an RBI single that made it 8-7.
After a strikeout served as the second out of the inning, Hollerich stepped in again and came through with a two-RBI single to get Wheeling back in the lead at 9-8. An error would bring home the final run of the day as Feyh came home and the Cardinals led 10-8 heading into the bottom of the sixth. After shutting things down in the bottom of the fourth, Clark finished the game strong with three straight scoreless innings as she picked up the win, going 3.2 innings allowing two runs on six hits while walking two and striking out one. Jenna Hollerich led the way going 3-4 with a double and two RBI in the win. Madison George added a three-hit game, going 3-4 with an RBI, while Maddie Munoz went 2-5 with an RBI in the leadoff spot. Wheeling would look for a sweep as they head into game two.
Game Two: West Liberty 10, Wheeling 5
Game two started much like game one did with both teams throwing a scoreless first before Wheeling got on the board. Jenee Brodeur got the start and threw a scoreless first inning before her team came to the bat racks. Brooke Slomkowski would single to start the inning and was pinch ran for by Candela Garcia Cabedo. Cabedo would steal second and Jenna Hollerich moved the runner to third on a fly out. Natalie Stoner would then step in and lined an RBI single to left, scoring Cabedo and giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead heading to the bottom of the second.
However, West Liberty would take the lead right back in the bottom of the second with three runs to make it a 3-1 game.
Brodeur would finish her day going 1.1 innings allowing three runs on four hits while striking out a batter. In the top of the third, Maddie Munoz got things started with a bunt single to start things off. Madison George would then single and a groundout by Anna Florczak moved runners to second and third with one out. Cassie Feyh would then step in and lined a two RBI single to center scoring both runners and tying the game at 3-3. Wheeling would load the bases with one out, but a fielder’s choice and a pop out ended the inning with the game tied at 3-3. The score would remain tied at three until the top of the fourth when Kelsi Green singled and Munoz hit a bunt double to put runners at second and third. Feyh came up once more and once again lined a two-RBI single to give Wheeling a 5-3 lead.
However, the Hilltoppers would add seven straight runs over the next four innings and ended up taking down Wheeling 10-5. Cassie Feyh led the way for the Cardinals, going 2-4 with four RBI on the afternoon, setting a season-high. The other RBI came courtesy of Natalie Stoner, who went 1-4 with an RBI in the effort. With the split, the Cardinals moved to 5-15 in MEC play and are just three games back from a spot in the MEC tournament with three weeks to play.
The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Saturday, April 15th, when they host West Virginia Wesleyan with first pitch at 1 PM.
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