Softball | 3/5/2021 3:58:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2     COLUMBUS, Ohio – The West Liberty University softball team opened the 2021 season here Friday with a couple of one-run setbacks on the first day of the Ohio Dominican Classic.
    Coach Herb Minch's Hilltoppers dropped a 2-1 decision to unbeaten Saginaw Valley State in the opener before coming out on the short end of a 4-3 tally in the finale against host Ohio Dominican.
    In the first game, the unbeaten Cardinals (6-0) – who opened the season ranked No. 25 in the country – prevailed in a tightly-played pitchers' duel that went down to the final pitch.
    West Liberty struck first with a Kat Donzella sacrifice fly in the top of the third but Saginaw Valley State responded with two runs on a triple and sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame for a 2-1 lead.
    The Hilltoppers' Annie Paterson and SVSU's Emily Depew matched zeros the rest of the way in the circle. Paterson took the hard-luck loss despite holding the hard-hitting Cardinals to just three hits while striking out six and giving up only one walk.
    West Liberty had baserunners in every inning but the sixth only to see the Saginaw Valley freshman righty wriggle off the hook every time, holding WLU to four hits while fanning eight with only two walks.
    Down to their final out, Hilltoppers nearly pulled it out in the top of the seventh. Lauren Garcia worked a two-out walk and Allie Cook followed with a deep drive to left only to see the left fielder haul it down with her back against the fence.
    In the second game, the host Panthers (1-4) scored three first-inning runs and the Hilltoppers couldn't climb all the way back.
    West Liberty got on the board in the fourth inning with a bases-loaded fielder's choice and Katie Beeman's RBI single fueled a two-run uprising in the top of the fifth but that was it for the WLU offense.
    Beeman had two of the Hilltoppers' five hits, giving her three base knocks on the day, while Donzella added a single and RBI.
    The tournament concludes on Saturday with West Liberty taking on Saginaw Valley State at 11 a.m. followed by a 1 p.m. game against Ohio Dominican.
     West Liberty                                         001 000 0 – 1  4  1
Saginaw Valley State                         002 000 x – 2  3  1
     WLU: Paterson lp (6SO, 1W) and Donzella. Assif D
     SVSU: Depew wp (8SO, 2W) and Moyler. Kreuzer T, rbi
  West Liberty                                         000 120 0 – 3  5  1
Ohio Dominican                                   301 000 x – 4  3  3
     WLU: Amend lp (9SO, 4W). Bonnett (5) (1SO, 0W) and Holt. Beeman 2S, rbi; Donzella S, rbi
     ODU: Long wp (6SO, 2W) and Meents. Downs HR, rbi; Bales D, rbi; Adams S, 2rbi