Indiana, Pa. – The West Liberty University softball team dropped both games of their mid-week doubleheader to Indiana (PA) on Wednesday afternoon as they fell by scores of 6-4 and 9-3 at Ruth Podbielski Field. A 3-run top of the fifth put momentum on the side of the Hilltoppers as they closed within two runs, however the Crimson Hawks closed out the opening game despite being out-hit by WLU. Just like in the first game, IUP used a big inning early in the contest and extended their lead to six, before West Liberty started to answer Indiana midway through the game, but they were unable to draw any closer than four runs.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score: West Liberty 4, Indiana (PA) 6
Team Records: West Liberty 0-5, Indiana (PA) 3-0
Attendance: 49
Pitching Decision: Win: Kendall Young (2-0), Loss: Madison Angus (0-2), Save: Amanda Fischer (1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• Sydney Johnson opened the game with a leadoff double to left field, however she was caught trying to stretch the play into a triple, leading to the first out. After Johnson the next two players lined out and struck out swinging to end the inning.
• Indiana (PA) also went down in order in the bottom of the first inning as Madison Angus sent two of the three down swinging to open the game.
• A pair of walks gave the Hilltoppers a pair of baserunners with only one out in the top of the second, but a pop out and a ground out left the runners stranded.
• The Crimson Hawks were the first to put runs up on the board as they turned five hits into five runs in the bottom of the second.
• WLU saw the batters go 3-up, 3-down in the top of the third before Ashlyn Tapman entered to pitch. In the bottom half of the frame IUP saw a double knocked to left field but Tapman and the Hlltopper defense shut down the inning with a strikeout and fly out.
• Tapman led off the top of the fourth with a solo blast to left field to put West Liberty on the board and cut the deficit to 5-1. Sara Simon reached base with a 2-out walk but was called out trying to reach third after a single by Kiernan Johnson to left center.
• With runners on the corners in the bottom of the fourth a ground out allowed enough time for IUP to plate a run and stretch their lead back to 6-1.
• The Hilltoppers started to rally in the top of the fifth as three runs brought the score of the game to 6-4. After fly out to start the inning, Olivia Munoz drew a walk and came around to score on an RBI double to left center by Johnson. The next at-bat Jaden Conrad knocked a single to left field and advanced to second on the throw as Johnson rounded third and scored the second run of the inning. The Hilltoppers final run of the inning came as Tapman hit a single to center field that saw Conrad cross the plate and score. Jairika Baylor and Kayla Mancuso entered to pinch run but were left stranded in scoring position on second and third.
• Indiana's final base runner of the game came in the bottom of the fifth with a walk and both teams went down in order in the sixth.
• Tapman and Mallory Rosnick each connected on back-to-back 2-out singles and put runners on the corners, however the Crimson Hawks were able to force a ground out to end the game.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1
Ashlyn Tapman: 3-for-4, 1 homerun, 2 RBI, 1 run scored, 4.0 innings pitched, 2 hits allowed, 1 earned run allowed, 2 strikeouts
Sydney Johnson: 2-for-4, 2 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 run scored
 
QUICK DETAILS – GAME 2
Final Score: West Liberty 3, Indiana (PA) 9
Team Records: West Liberty 0-6, Indiana (PA) 4-0
Attendance: 51
Pitching Decision: Win: Olivia Hillegas (1-0), Loss: Kadence Pettit (0-2)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• Jaden Conrad was the first base runner of the game for West Liberty as she drew a walk in the top of the first but was left stranded as Indiana (PA) forced a strikeout and fly out.
• In the bottom of the first the Crimson Hawks left a pair of base runners stranded after a single and a walk as Kadence Pettit ended the frame with a pair of strikeouts.
• Shelby Harris recorded the first hit of the game for the Hilltoppers with an infield single to the shortstop before being called out at second as Kiernan Johnson reached safely on a fielder's choice. A fly out to right field ended the inning with Johnson remaining on first.
• IUP notched the first runs of the game in the bottom of the second as an RBI single to center field brought in one run and a double to right field cleared the loaded bases and brought the score to 4-0.
• Jairika Baylor hit a leadoff double to right center but was called out at third trying to stretch the play into a triple. The next at-bat Johnson reached base on a fielding error by the shortstop and advanced all the way to third following a ground out and a wild pitch, however she was left stranded on base at the end of the inning as IUP collected a strikeout.
• Indiana extended their lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the third with a leadoff solo homerun to center field and a double to left center brought home a runner from second.
• The Hilltoppers got the two runs back in the top of the fourth as Mallory Rosnick recorded a leadoff homerun of her own to left center and after a pair of singles aided by an error put runners on second and third, Pettit singled through the right side to score Harris and cut the deficit to 6-2.
• A double to left center allowed the Crimson Hawks to add a run in the bottom of the fourth as a double to left center brought home a runner from second to push the score to 7-2.
• Rosnick gave WLU a runner in scoring position with a double down the left field line as Kayla Mancuso entered to pinch run. The next at-bat Sara Simon reached first on a fielding error, which also allowed Mancuso to round third and score to make it a 7-3 ball game.
• Both teams left a pair of base runners stranded in the bottom of the fifth and the top of the sixth before Indiana pushed their lead back to six in the bottom of the sixth. The Crimson Hawks scored on a passed ball and an infield single to second base.
• Simon gave the Hilltoppers a leadoff single in the top of the seventh, however the rally fell short as a fly out and back-to-back strikeouts ended the game.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 2
Shelby Harris: 3-for-4, 1 run scored
Mallory Rosnick: 2-for-4, 1 double, 1 homerun, 1 RBI, 1 run scored
Kadence Pettit: 5.0 innings pitched, 6 strikeouts
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will have a week off before they face their second consecutive road doubleheader against a PSAC foe as they travel to Seton Hill on Thursday, February 29. The Hilltoppers and Griffins are slated for 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. first pitch times at the SHU Softball Complex in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.