WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader from Salem (W.Va.) University in dominating fashion here Monday afternoon at the WLU Softball Complex.
    Coach Herb Minch's Hilltoppers (2-4) combined timely hitting with overpowering work from the circle in handing the Tigers (1-5) a pair of five-inning mercy rule setbacks by scores of 10-0 and 9-0.
    Annie Paterson and Makenzie Amend teamed up for a no-hitter in the opener. Paterson struck out nine and walked only one through the first four innings with Amend striking out the side in the fifth to complete the combined gem.
    Katie Beeman stroked out two doubles and a single to drive in a run while Connor Assif added three singles and an RBI. Allie Cook had a pair of base knocks and Laurel Saunders chipped in with a two-run single as part of a 13-hit onslaught. Sidney Little and Taylor Scott also had RBI base knocks for the hosts.
    Riley Bennington, Lauren Garcia and Amend handled the pitching duties in the second game, amassing five strikeouts with no walks and allowing just two singles in another 5-inning shutout.
    Cook paced another potent WLU attack with two singles and a solo home run while Beeman smacked out two more doubles to drive in two runs. Anna Welsh also had a two-hit game with a pair of RBIs.
    West Liberty will host Ursuline (Ohio) on Friday in another non-conference twinbill. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the WLU Softball Complex.
     Salem (W.Va.)                                  000 00 –   0    0  3
West Liberty                                     313 3x – 10  13  0
     SU: Bombardiere lp (0SO, 1W), Gallegos (3) (1SO, 0W) and McCrary
     WLU: Paterson wp (9SO, 1W), Amend (5) (3SO, 0W) and Donzella. Beeman 2D, S, rbi; Assif 3S, rbi; Cook 2S; Saunders S, 2rbi; Little S, rbi; Scott S, rbi
  Salem (W.Va.)                                  000 00 – 0    2  3
West Liberty                                     330 3x – 9  10  0
     SU: Baldwin lp (2SO, 2W) and McCrary.
     WLU: Bennington (2SO, 0W), Garcia (4) (1SO, 0W), Amend (5) (2SO, 0W) and Blair, McCroskey (4). Cook HR, 2S, rbi; Beeman 2D, 2rbi; Welsh 2S, 2rbi