Weirton, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team opened up Mountain East Conference action with a doubleheader sweep of Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon at Weir High School as they won by scores of 6-5 and 2-1. The Hilltoppers walked it off in game one with a double by Kayla Mancuso to score Carlee Leidy, followed by Kadence Pettit throwing a 1-hitter in game two to secure a 2-0 start to conference play.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score: West Liberty 6, Notre Dame 5
Team Records: West Liberty 4-13 (1-0 MEC), Notre Dame 13-7 (0-1 MEC)
Attendance: 53
Pitching Decision: Win: Kadence Pettit (3-6), Loss: Grace Fisher (6-4)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• Notre Dame opened the scoring in game one with a 2-run homerun in the top of the second to take a 2-0 lead, and they would extend their advantage to 3-0 in the top of the third on a ground out to second that scored one.
• After going 3-up, 3-down in the first three innings of action, West Liberty scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead as Mallory Rosnick hit a single to left field to score Sydney Johnson and Shelby Harris knocked a 3-run homerun over the center field fence to take the 4-3 lead.
• Both teams went down in order in the fifth inning before the Falcons momentarily regained the 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth with one run on a double to left field and a single to left field.
• The Hilltoppers tied the game at five apiece in the bottom of the sixth as Harris hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Lauren Nolte.
• WLU walked it off in game one as Kayla Mancuso hit a double to left field to score Carlee Leidy, who had also doubled to left field the prior at-bat, giving them the 6-5 win.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1
Shelby Harris: 1-for-2, 1 homerun, 4 RBI, 1 run scored
Kayla Mancuso: 1-for-4, 1 double, 1 RBI
Carlee Leidy: 1-for-3, 1 double 1 run scored
Kadence Pettit: 1.2 innings pitched, 1 hit allowed, 0 runs allowed, 4 strikeouts
 
QUICK DETAILS – GAME 2
Final Score: West Liberty 2, Notre Dame 1
Team Records: West Liberty 5-13 (2-0 MEC), Notre Dame 13-8 (0-2 MEC)
Attendance: 50
Pitching Decision: Win: Kadence Pettit (4-6), Loss: Allison Weilnau (4-3)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• Kadence Pettit and the West Liberty defense were in control from the start as Notre Dame went 3-up, 3-down the first three innings until they saw base runner reach on a walk and batter's interference before scoring one run on an error in the top of the fourth to make it a 1-0 game.
• West Liberty got the run back in the bottom of the fourth as Jaden Conrad knocked a double to left center to score Paytyn Tucker and make it a 1-1 contest.
• The Hilltoppers gained the lead and ended the scoring in the bottom of the fifth as Conrad singled to left center to score Kayle Mancuso, who opened the frame with a leadoff single to left field.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 2
Sydney Johnson: 2-for-3
Jaden Conrad: 2-for-3, 1 double, 2 RBI
Isabella Caruso: 1-for-2, 1 stolen base
Kadence Pettit: 7.0 innings pitched, 1 hit allowed, 0 earned runs allowed, 2 strikeouts
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will step back to non-conference action on Sunday afternoon as they face Salem in doubleheader action, in a pair of games that have also been moved from the Hilltopper Softball Complex to Weir High School in Weirton, West Virginia. Games are scheduled for a 1 and 3 p.m. first pitch.