West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team is slated to open the Mountain East Conference portion of their season this weekend as they face Notre Dame followed by Salem on Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17. The doubleheader against the Hilltoppers and Falcons has been moved to Weir High School while the pair of games against the Tigers remains at the Hilltopper Softball Complex.

GAME DETAILS

• Saturday: 1 and 3 p.m. first pitch times at Weir High School in Weirton, West Virginia
• Sunday: 1 and 3 p.m. first pitch times at the Hilltopper Softball Complex

WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES

• West Liberty enters this weekend's doubleheaders with a 3-13 record on the season following a road split at Seton Hill on Thursday, winning game one by a score of 9-7 before falling 13-5 (5 innings) in game two.
• As a team WLU is hitting .260 with 103 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, nine homeruns, 45 RBI, and 54 runs scored through 16 games played this season.
• Sydney Johnson leads the team with a .367 batting average while posting an on-base percentage of .415, a slugging percentage of .449, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .864. She has tallied 18 hits, four doubles, one RBI, and has scored eight runs. Johnson has recorded a hit in eight consecutive games.
• Sara Simon is the second player on the team to be hitting above .300 on the season as she is batting .324 with an on-base percentage of .395, a slugging percentage of .559, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .954. She has recorded 11 hits, three doubles, one triple, one homerun, eight RBI, and has scored two runs in 2024.
• The final Hilltopper to hit above .300 is Carlee Leidy with a batting average of .321 while posting an on-base average of .321, a slugging percentage of .464, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .785. She has notched nine hits, one double, one homerun, two RBI, and has scored four runs.
• Mallory Rosnick leads the team with three homeruns on the year.
• The Hilltoppers' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 6.90, allowing 147 hits and 51 walks, while throwing 56 strikeouts. Opponents hold a .335 batting average against WLU pitchers.
• Madison Angus holds the lowest ERA among starting pitchers at 4.85 while recording a WHIP of 1.65 and has held opponents to a .281 batting average. She has thrown 11 strikeouts on the year.
• Kadence Pettit, the 2023 MaxPreps West Virginia Player of the Year has made seven starts in nine appearances to open her freshman campaign, pitching 30.2 innings thus far. She holds an ERA of 6.16 to go along with a 2.09 WHIP, an opponent's batting average of .342, and 27 strikeouts. With a record of 2-6 on the season she has struck out six or more batters in three games.
• Sara Pelegreen is in her first season as the head coach at West Liberty with a record of 3-13 with the Hilltoppers. Overall, she is in her fifth season as a collegiate head softball coach and has compiled a career record of 72-143 which includes four prior seasons at Wheeling.

NOTRE DAME STORYLINES

• Notre Dame enters this weekend's doubleheaders with a 13-6 record on the season following a split at home against Mercyhurst as they won game one by a score of 3-1 before falling 5-1 in game two.
• As a team NDC is hitting .260 with 128 hits, 25 doubles, six triples, five homeruns, 91 RBI, and 106 runs scored through 19 games played this season.
• Danielle Fick leads the team with a .383 batting average and adds a .422 on-base percentage, a .583 slugging percentage, and a 1.005 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 23 hits, six doubles, three triples, 15 RBI, and has scored 12 runs.
• Destany Blake is the second player to average above .300 batting this year with a .340 hitting percentage, and adds a .393 on-base percentage, a .380 slugging percentage, and .773 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has notched 17 hits, two doubles, 13 RBI, and has scored nine runs.
• Meadow Odum and Alyssa Wahl leads the Falcons with a pair of homeruns apiece.
• The Falcons' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 2.80, allowing 132 hits and 51 walks, while throwing 86 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .258 batting average against NDC pitchers.
• Grace Fisher is the top pitcher for Notre Dame as she holds a 2.04 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and has held opponents to a .233 batting average. She has struck out 47 batters in 55.0 innings of work in the circle as she has posted a 6-3 record.
• Another key starting pitcher to watch is Allison Weilnau who holds a 2.33 ERA, a WHIP of 1.50, and has held opponents to a .241 batting average. She has struck out 22 batters in 42.0 innings of work and has collected a 4-2 record.
• The top relief pitcher for NDC is Madison Olszewski who has posted a 0.60 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP while holding opponents to .269 batting at the plate. She has thrown eight strikeouts in 11.2 innings of work in the circle, notching a 2-0 record as well as two saves.
• Kelsey Stopp is in her sixth season as the head coach at Notre Dame with a career record of 105-126 during her time with the Falcons.

SERIES HISTORY

• Since the 2014 season Notre Dame holds a 20-17 lead in the series.
• The Falcons defeated the Hilltoppers 1-0 in the MEC Tournament on May 5, 2023.

SALEM STORYLINES

• Salem enters this weekend's doubleheaders with a 5-7 record on the season following a pair of losses on the final day of The Spring Games on Tuesday, falling to Pitt-Johnstown (10-6) and Saint Anselm (7-3).
• As a team SU is hitting .284 with 88 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, one homerun, 49 RBI, and 55 runs scored through 12 games played this season.
• Ricki Garay leads the team with a .367 batting average and adds a .513 on-base percentage, a .400 slugging percentage, and a .913 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 11 hits, one double, nine RBI, and four runs scored.
• Meladie LaRance also bats above .300 for the Tigers at .359 while also recording .366 on-base percentage, a .538 slugging percentage, and a .904 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has notched 14 hits, two doubles, one triple, one homerun, 12 RBI, and nine runs scored.
• The Tigers' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 4.22, allowing 92 hits and 34 walks, while throwing 42 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .283 batting average against SU pitchers.
• Kendall Lemley leads the team with a 3.04 ERA to go along with a WHIP of 1.16 and has limited opponents to a .239 batting average. She has struck out 14 batters while pitching two complete games in 27.2 innings of work and has collected a 1-2 record with one save.
• Franchesca Alvaro adds a 3.92 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP and has limited opponents to a .275 batting average. She has struck out 15 batters in 19.2 innings of work with one complete game and a shutout, while posting a 1-1 record on the season.
• Steve Potts is in his 16^th season as the head coach at Salem with a career record of 184-406 during his time with the Tigers.

SERIES HISTORY

• Since the 2014 season West Liberty holds a 14-3 series record with 11 consecutive wins.
• The Hilltoppers swept last season's doubleheader by scores of 8-6 and 5-4 at the Hilltopper Softball Complex on March 8, 2023.