WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team split a doubleheader with Alderson-Broaddus Friday afternoon at the WLU Softball Complex, pulling out a 2-1 extra-inning win in the opener before dropping an 8-1 decision in the finale.

In the first game, the Hilltoppers (8-31, 3-9) were trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth when Maggie Starr singled, moved to second on a fielder's choice and came home with the tying run on a two-out single by Felicia Hulslander.

The winning rally in the bottom of the eighth started when Jennifer Young, who had been placed on second to start the frame, was able to move up to third on a fielder's choice off the bat of Janea Cockrell. Johnson came to the plate as a pinch-hitter for winning pitcher Sara Emerich and lofted a fly ball to center that was deep enough to score Young with the game-winner.

Emerich went the distance for the win. She yielded an unearned run in the top of the first but shut out the Battlers (14-16, 4-8) on just two hits over the final seven frames.

The visitors took care of business quickly in the second game, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning and coasting the rest of the way.

Starr and Equitia Sayles had two hits each for West Liberty while Julianne Wanda singled home the Hilltoppers' only run in the fourth inning.

West Liberty hosts Fairmont State on Saturday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

SOFTBALL

West Liberty 2, Alderson-Broaddus 1

(2 out when winning run scored)

Alderson-Broaddus 100 000 00 – 1  4  0

West Liberty 000 001 01 – 2  3  1

AB: Powell lp (3SO, 1W) and Mayer. Renoth D

WL: Emerich wp (4SO, 1W) and Sumner. Hulslander S, rbi; Johnson rbi

Alderson-Broaddus 8, West Liberty 1

Alderson-Broaddus 320 101 1 – 8 10  1

West Liberty 000 100 0 – 1   7  4

AB: Neace wp (7SO, 1W), Stone (7) (0SO, 1W) and Mayer. Renoth 2S, 2rbi; Powell 2S, rbi; Daniels HR, rbi

WL: Fortuna lp (6SO, 2W), Slenski (6) (1SO, 1W) and Burke. Starr 2S; Sayles 2S; Wanda S, rbi