Greensburg, Pa. – The West Liberty University softball team earned a mid-week split in a rescheduled doubleheader at Seton Hill on Thursday afternoon as they won the opening game 9-7 before falling 13-5 (5 innings) in game two. The Hilltoppers started and finished game one strong as they took the lead with a five run first and battled from behind with four runs in the bottom of the seventh to score the win over their PSAC foe. In the second contest, it was the Griffins who posted a pair of big innings as they scored seven in the bottom of the second and six in the bottom of the fourth.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score: West Liberty 9, Seton Hill 7
Team Records: West Liberty 3-12, Seton Hill 11-6
Attendance: 75
Pitching Decision: Win: Kadence Pettit (2-5), Loss: Lauren Dellett (5-4)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• West Liberty stormed out of the gates with five runs off five hits in the top of the first inning, starting with Kayla Mancuso who scored on a pair of errors after a leadoff single and stolen base. Sara Simon knocked a triple down the right field line to score Sydney Johnson and Mallory Rosnick hit a homerun to left field to score Simon and make it a 4-0 game. A double by Olivia Munoz to right center brought home Shelby Harris who hit a double to left center the previous at bat to end the scoring in the frame and make it 5-0.
• Seton Hill got one run back in the bottom of the first as an RBI single to right field made it 5-1.
• After the big first inning, the Hilltoppers went 3-up, 3-down in the second and third before a solo homerun to left field for the Griffins cut the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the third.
• SHU took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the sixth inning as they posted four runs off three hits with a 2-RBI double to center and a solo homerun over the left field fence to make it 6-5.
• WLU kept their composure and answered with their second big inning of the game, starting with Rosnick's second homer of the game as the 2-run shot over the left field fence regained West Liberty the 7-6 lead. Later in the inning, Breena Grace knocked a double to left field to score Lauren Nolte and Harris to extend their lead to 9-6.
• The Hilltopper defense held off the Griffin rally as a double to left center cut the lead to 9-7, however a pop up the next at bat ended the contest and left one SHU runner stranded in scoring position.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1
Mallory Rosnick: 2-for-4, 2 homeruns, 4 RBI, 2 runs scored
Sara Simon: 2-for-4, 1 triple, 1 RBI, 1 run scored
Sydney Johnson: 2-for-4, 2 runs scored
Shelby Harris: 2-for-4, 1 double, 2 runs scored
 
QUICK DETAILS – GAME 2
Final Score: West Liberty 5, Seton Hill 13 (5 Innings)
Team Records: West Liberty 3-13, Seton Hill 12-6
Attendance: 75
Pitching Decision: Win: Logan Hartman (7-2), Loss: Kadence Pettit (2-6)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• After a single by Kayla Mancuso to right field and Sydney Johnson drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs, they were left stranded and on base and West Liberty was unable to replicate the same start as game one in the second contest.
• Each team left a pair of base runners stranded in the bottom of the first and the top of the second until Seton Hill scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the second with seven runs on four hits. The Griffins scored one run on a fielder's choice, one on a sacrifice fly to center field, two runs on an error, and three runs on a homerun to left field.
• The Hilltoppers got one run back in the top of the third as Mallory Rosnick hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Johnson who hit a leadoff single towards the shortstop earlier in the frame, making it a 7-1 game.
• WLU continued to trim away at the deficit in the top of the fourth inning as Mancuso hit a 3-run homerun over the left field fence to score Jaden Conrad and Carlee Leidy, making it a 7-4 game.
• The Griffins pushed their lead to 13-4 in the bottom of the fourth with one run scoring on an RBI single to right field, two scoring on a double to left field, two scoring on a double to left center, and one scoring on a single to center field.
• West Liberty scored one run in the top of the fifth on a homerun to center field by Conrad, however it would not be enough to extend the game as the contest came to an end due to run rule at 13-5.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 2
Kayla Mancuso: 2-for-4, 1 homerun, 3 RBI, 1 run scored
Carlee Leidy: 2-for-3, 1 run scored, 1 stolen base
Jaden Conrad: 1-for-1, 1 homerun, 1 walk, 1 RBI, 2 runs scored
Madison Angus: 1.0 inning pitched, 1 hit allowed, 0 runs allowed
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will start Mountain East Conference action on Saturday, March 16, as they host Notre Dame for a doubleheader. The Hilltoppers and Falcons are slated for first pitch times of 1 and 3 p.m. at the Hilltopper Softball Complex.