Softball | 3/24/2018 7:40:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

    WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – A seventh-inning rally by the West Liberty University softball team fell just short here Saturday, allowing West Virginia State to finish off a sweep in Mountain East Conference doubleheader action at the WLU Softball Complex.
    Coach Herb Minch's Hilltoppers (8-8, 2-4) were 1-0 shutout victims in the opener before the Yellow Jackets (15-9, 3-3) held on to claim a 4-3 win in the finale.
    State carried a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning of the second game but tacked on what proved to be a crucial pair of insurance tallies in the top of the frame, leaving WLU on the wrong end of a 4-0 count heading into their last at-bat.
    The Black and Gold didn't go quietly. Audrey Meloun and Charli McConnell opened the frame with back-to-back singles and a one-out walk to Laral Saunders loaded the bases.
    Kat Donzella followed with a 2-run single to cut the lead in half and moved up to second on the throw, putting the tying runs in scoring position.
    Sydney Bennington brought Saunders home with a sacrifice fly to left but State was able to get the final out on an infield grounder to preserve the win.
    Eight West Liberty players had a hit in the game with Skylar Fankhauser's second-inning double the only extra-base knock for the hosts.
    The Hilltoppers hadn't been able to get anything going at the plate in the opener as the hosts never got a runner past first base. Donzella's fourth-inning single was West Liberty's lone hit against two WVSU hurlers.
    Makenzie Amend took the hard-luck loss in the circle. The freshman carried a two-hit shutout into the sixth only to see the Yellow Jackets take advantage of a three-base error to plate an unearned run. State tacked on a pair of runs with two out in the seventh to put the game out of reach.
    The Hilltoppers will try to bounce back on Sunday when they host the University of Charleston in a noon doubleheader at the WLU Softball Complex.
  W.Va. State                                        000 001 2 - 3  6  0
West Liberty                                      000 000 0 - 0  1  2
     WVS: Norton wp (2SO, 1W), Moore (6) (1SO, 1W) and Allison. Mirabella 3S; Pullins S, 2rbi
     WLU: Amend lp (3SO, 3W) and Donzella. Donzella S
  W.Va. State                                        001 010 2 - 4  7  0
West Liberty                                      000 000 3 - 3  8  1
     WVS: E.Thompson wp (0SO, 0W), Moore (7) (0SO, 1W) and Rafuson. K.Thompson 3S; Carte D, S, 2rbi; Hale S, rbi
     WLU: Wright lp (3SO, 5W), Sieger (7) (1SO, 0W) and Troggio, McConnell (6). Donzella S, 2rbi; Bennington S, rbi; Fankhauser D