Softball | 3/26/2011 11:55:16 AM

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The Shepherd University softball team spoiled West Liberty's West Virginia Conference opener Friday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader from the Lady Hilltoppers by scores of 9-6 and 11-0 at the WLU Softball Complex.

West Liberty (2-19, 0-2) carried a 6-4 lead into the sixth inning of the opener only to see the Rams (15-8, 4-0) go back on top with three runs in the top of the sixth before adding a pair of insurance tallies in the seventh.

Leanna McMillen delivered a go-ahead 2-run single for the Hilltoppers in the bottom of the fourth and Stacy Sumner singled her home with the hosts' sixth run of the game. Maggie Starr had a multi-hit game with a single, double and RBI.

In the second game, Nichole Pitcock hurled a one-hit shutout and Shepherd belted out 10 hits, including three home runs, to end the game after five innings.

Angela Johnson broke up Pitcock's no-hit bid with a one-out single in the bottom of the fifth.

West Liberty hits the road Saturday for a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Davis & Elkins.

SOFTBALL

Shepherd 9, West Liberty 6

Shepherd                 220 003 2 -  9 17  3

West Liberty            030 300 0 -  6  8  1

    S: Stambaugh (2SO, 2W), Pitcock wp (5) (5SO, 2W) and Holmes. Holmes 3S, 3rbi; Oals 3S, 2rbi; Dudek D, 2S, rbi

    WL: Emerich lp (6SO, 2W), Miller (6) (0SO, 1W), Stanley (6) (0SO, 0W), Emerich (7) and Sumner. Starr D, S, rbi; McMillen S, 2rbi; Hulslander S, rbi; Sumner S, rbi; Ashmead D.

Shepherd 11, West Liberty 0

Shepherd                     411 23 - 11 10  0

West Liberty                000 00 - 0  1  3

    S: Pitcock wp (4SO, 2W) and Holmes. Williams 2HR, 3rbi; Holmes HR, S, 3rbi

    WL: Fortuna lp (0SO, 3W), Kleinendorst (1) (0SO, 2W), Johnson (4) (0SO, 1W) and Sumner. Johnson S.