FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team couldn't get the bats going Sunday in dropping a West Virginia Conference doubleheader at Fairmont State by scores of 11-3 and 8-2.

The red-hot Falcons (24-7, 12-2), who have now won 16 of their last 17 games, held the Hilltoppers (10-26, 2-9) to a total of just three hits on the day.

Coach Jim Bacca's visitors jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opener by pushing three runs across the plate in the top of the third.

Leanna McMillen's two-run double highlighted the uprising and Stacy Sumner brought home another run with a sacrifice fly but the Hilltoppers couldn't hang onto the lead.

Fairmont tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the frame, added a couple more in the fourth inning and closed it out with six runs in the fifth.

In the second game, the Falcons scored twice in the second inning and put things out of reach with six runs in the bottom of the fourth. West Liberty scored two unearned runs without benefit of a hit in the top of the fifth but it was too little, too late.

McMillen had the Hilltoppers' only hit, a two-out single in the top of the third.

  West Liberty hosts Ohio Valley on Wednesday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at the WLU Softball Complex.

SOFTBALL

Fairmont State 11, West Liberty 3

West Liberty 003 00 –   3    2  3

Fairmont State 003 26 – 11  10  0

WLU: Creamer lp (3SO, 2W), Johnson (5) (0SO, 1W) and Burke. McMillen D, 2rbi; Starr S; Sumner rbi

FSU: Cobb wp (4SO, 2W) and Williams. Iaccobacci HR, S, 2rbi; Parsons D, S, rbi; Stubbs 2S; Bowman 2S; Frampton HR, 6rbi

Fairmont State 8, West Liberty 2

West Liberty 000 020 0 – 2    1  1

Fairmont State 020 600 x – 8  10  2

WLU: Emerich lp (0SO, 4W) and Sumner. McMillen S; Hulslander rbi

FSU: Nuzum wp (7SO, 2W), Jones (2SO, 0W) and Herzberger. Bowman 3S; Skidmore HR, 3rbi; Frampton S, 2rbi; Tyree S, 2rbi