BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team backed two strong pitching performances with an impressive power display here Saturday to sweep a Mountain East Conference doubleheader from West Virginia Wesleyan.
    Coach Herb Minch's surging Hilltoppers (23-14, 15-5) rallied to a 3-2 win in the first game before coasting past the Bobcats (14-18, 7-11) by a 5-2 count in the finale.
    In the opener, after giving up a 2-run homer in the bottom of the first, Makenzie Amend slammed the door the rest of the way. The sophomore righty held the hosts to one single and no runs over the final six frames while striking out 10 and not walking a batter.
    Katie Beeman put the Hilltoppers on the board with a leadoff home run in the top of the fourth and Kat Donzella's 2-out, 2-run homer in the bottom of the fifth proved to be the difference.
    Donzella's blast, her second in as many games, was her MEC-leading 12^th home run of the season.
    Kate Meloun went 3-for-3, scored a run and stole a base for the Black and Gold while Anna Paterson smacked out a pair of singles.
    The long ball accounted for all five of West Liberty's runs in the second game.
    Beeman got things started with a 2-out, 3-run bomb in the first inning and Haley Collett pushed the lead to 5-0 with a 2-run blast in the top of the second.
    Wesleyan plated an unearned run in the bottom of the second with a hit-by-pitch, walk, wild pitch and infield error but managed only one more tally off Paterson, who scattered 6 hits while striking out 4 in a complete-game win.
    Beeman capped a 4-hit day with a single to go along with her circuit blast. Meloun also had 4 hits in the doubleheader, picking up a single in the second game.
    The Lady Hillltoppers head to Glenville on Monday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader against the Pioneers.