WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The surging West Liberty University softball team stretched its winning streak to five games here Saturday by sweeping Urbana in a mutual Mountain East Conference opener at the WLU Softball Complex.
    Coach Herb Minch's Hilltoppers (8-9, 2-0) blasted the Blue Knights (1-15, 0-2) by a 9-1 count in the first game before pulling out a 4-3 win in the finale.
    In the opener, West Liberty pounded out 13 hits and scored in every inning but the third before invoking the 8-run mercy rule after five innings.
    Kate Meloun picked up 3 RBIs with a double and two singles while Allie Cook chased home a pair of runs with two doubles. Anna Paterson added a double and a single while Katie Beeman also had a multi-hit game with two singles and an RBI.
    Kat Donzella and Kelly Mullins each doubled home a run while Sydney Bennington chipped in with an RBI single. Makenzie Amend went the distance in the circle, giving up just four hits while striking out six for the win.
    The offensive barrage continued in the second game with Paterson snapping a 3-3 tie with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.
    Kate Meloun went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs while Beeman bashed out a pair of doubles and Kelly Mullins singled twice. Paterson and Haley Collett each had RBI singles while Cook reached base four times with a double and three bases on balls.
    The Lady Hilltoppers put their 5-game winning streak on the line Sunday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Notre Dame at the WLU Softball Complex.