Softball | 4/14/2018 5:12:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
    WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – West Liberty University's Makenzie Amend came within one strike of a no-hitter to spark a doubleheader sweep of Glenville State here Saturday at the WLU Softball Complex.
    Amend's gem led Coach Herb Minch's Hilltoppers (15-17, 9-13) to a 3-1 win in the first game and the freshman ace picked up a save in the second game as the Black and Gold rallied for a 3-2 nod against the Pioneers (18-24, 6-16).
    In the opener, Amend retired the first 11 batters she faced before giving up a couple of walks in the fourth but had no trouble carrying her no-hitter into the seventh inning.
    After walking the leadoff hitter, the hard-throwing righty fanned the next two batters and ran the count to 1-2 on Glenville's Cassidy Taylor.
    The Pioneer first baseman lined the next pitch just over the third baseman's head and the ball kicked up chalk on the left field line for an RBI double. Amend shook off the disappointment and retired the next batter to finish off her one-hit gem.
    The former Wheeling Park High School all-stater notched her third double-digit strikeout total of the season with a dozen whiffs while her teammates took care of business at the plate.
    Freshman catcher Kat Donzella led a nine-hit barrage for the WLU offense with a double and two singles while Kaitlyn Stress also had a multi-hit game with a pair of base knocks. Kelly Mullins' clutch two-run single in the bottom of the fifth provided some much-needed breathing room.
    The second game didn't lack for excitement as the Hilltoppers scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a 2-0 deficit and finish off the sweep.
    Glenville's Tori Ward carried a one-hit shutout into the bottom of the sixth but things got a little crazy as WLU hit the comeback trail.
    After back-to-back singles by Katie Higginbotham and Katie Beeman put runners on first and second, Kelsi Johnson grounded to third but the throw from the third baseman sailed down the right field line.
    Higginbotham came around to score but a slick relay from the Pioneers caught Beeman in a rundown between third and home to preserve the 2-1 lead.
    Johnson had moved up to second on the throw and dashed to third on a wild pitch before jogging home on an Allie Cook single to tie the game.
    Skylar Minzler came on as a pinch-runner and moved up to second on Kat Donzella's infield grounder. With Mullins batting, Minzler swiped third and came around to score what proved to be the game-winner when the catcher's throw sailed into the outfield.
    Savanna Sieger got the win with 4.2 innings of shutout relief. Amend, who had pitched a scoreless first inning, returned to the circle with one out and one on in the seventh to close out the game and earn her first collegiate save.
    After Saturday's two outings, Amend has now allowed just 3 earned runs in her last 34 innings in the circle. Beeman had two of West Liberty's four singles in the finale.
    The Hilltoppers will be back in action on Wednesday when they host Ohio County rival Wheeling Jesuit in a 2 p.m. doubleheader at the WLU Softball Complex.
  Glenville State                                  000 000 1 - 1  1  0
West Liberty                                      000 120 x - 3  9  0
     GSC: Brown lp (2SO, 3W) and Wright. Taylor D, rbi
     WLU: Amend wp (12SO, 4W) and Donzella. Donzella D, 2S; Stress 2S; Mullins S, 2rbi
  Glenville State                                  020 000 0 - 2  6  4
West Liberty                                      000 003 0 - 3  4  0
     GSC: Ward lp (1SO, 0W) and Edmonds. Ellis 2S; Edmonds 2S; Brumfield S, 2rbi
     WLU: Amend (1SO, 0W), Wright (2) (1SO, 1W), Sieger wp (2) (3SO, 2W), Amend (7) (1SO, 1W) and Troggio, McConnell (2). Beeman 2S; Cook S, rbi