URBANA, Ohio – The West Liberty University softball team locked up an outright Mountain East Conference North Division championship here Sunday by hammering out a doubleheader sweep of Urbana.
    Coach Herb Minch's regionally-ranked Hilltoppers (32-17, 24-8) pounded out a total of 31 hits in beating the Blue Knights (6-46, 2-28) by scores of 14-4 and 17-9.
    Kat Donzella had a huge afternoon, driving in a total of nine runs in the two games with three doubles and three singles, but the sophomore catcher had plenty of company in the WLU scorebook.
    In the first game, West Liberty – ranked No. 4 in the Atlantic Region – carried a 4-0 lead into the third inning before plating five runs in each of the next two frames to invoke the mercy rule after Urbana was retired in the fifth.
    Donzella led the way with three singles and five RBIs while Kaitlyn Stress chased home a pair of runs with two singles. Katie Beeman laced out a double and a single while Allie Cook and Laral Saunders each had a double and two RBIs. Sydney Bennington added a run-scoring single as the Black and Gold ripped out 14 hits.
    In the second game, Donzella once again led the way with three doubles and four RBIs while Kelly Mullins doubled twice and singled to drive in two runs. Beeman also had two RBIs with a double and a single while Kate Meloun singled twice and scored four runs.
    Cook and Audrey Meloun had RBI base knocks and Bennington launched a two-run homer as the Black and Gold scored their 17 runs on 17 hits.
    The Hilltoppers have earned the No. 1 seed in the North Division for the MEC Tournament, which starts Friday afternoon in Salem, Va. They will play at 2:30 p.m. against UVa-Wise, the No. 4 seed from the South Division, in the first round of the double-elimination event.