WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – West Liberty University's defending Mountain East Conference softball champions had an impressive home opener on Sunday, sweeping a non-conference twinbill from Salem (W.Va.) at a sunswept WLU Softball Complex.
    Coach Herb Minch's Hilltoppers (4-3) breezed to a 6-0 shutout win in the first game before hammering out a 15-3 mercy-rule win against the visiting Tigers (3-5) in the second contest.
    In the opener, Makenzie Amend and Annie Paterson teamed up in the circle on a 2-hit shutout. Amend got the first 10 outs – six by strikeout – without allowing a hit while Paterson fanned five and gave up two harmless singles to finish off the gem.
    Laral Saunders and Kat Donzella drove the WLU attack. Saunders had a double and single to drive in two runs while also scoring a pair of runs and swiping two bases. Donzella singled twice to also pick up a pair of RBIs. Kate Meloun and Kelly Mullins each singled and drove in a run.
    The Hilltoppers pounded out 10 hits and scored 11 runs in the second inning alone to wrap things up early in the finale.
    Donzella led the 15-hit barrage with three more singles and three more RBIs. Allie Cook added two singles and two RBIs, Kaitlyn Stress singled twice and drove in a run and Kate Meloun also had two singles. Mullins had another RBI single as did winning pitcher Riley Bennington. Katie Beeman had a two-run single.
    The Black and Gold head to Florida this weekend for the start of their spring break trip. They open with a Saturday doubleheader against Queens (N.Y.).
  Salem (W.Va.)                                   000 000 0 – 0  2  1
West Liberty                                       321 000 x – 6  7  0
     SU: Bennett lp (0SO, 0W), Bombardier (2) (2SO, 3W) and Atkinson.
     WLU: Amend (6SO, 2W), Paterson wp (5SO, 1W) and Donzella, A.Meloun (5). Saunders D, S, 2rbi; Donzella 2S, 2rbi; K.Meloun S, rbi; Mullins S, rbi
  Salem (W.Va.)                                   00     0 21 –   3    4  4
West Liberty                                       1(11)0 3x – 15  15  0
     SU: Romick lp (3SO, 4W), Baldwin (4) (0SO, 0W), Bennett (4) (1SO, 1W) and McPherson. Traylor 2S, rbi; Reckling S, rbi; Moritz D
     WLU: Bennington wp (5SO, 2W), Bonnet (5) (1SO, 1W) and A.Meloun. Donzella 3S, 3rbi; Cook 2S, 2rbi; Stress 2S, rbi; K.Meloun 2S; Beeman S, 2rbi; Mullins S, rbi; Bennington S, rbi; Paterson D