Fairmont, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team dropped a pair of hard fought games to MEC North Division leaders, Fairmont State, by scores of 1-0 (8 Innings) and 5-4. Game one saw the pitchers take control early as through the middle of the fifth each team only had two hits apiece, but from that point forward the Falcon bats came to life with eight in their final four innings up to the plate as they earned the walk-off win in extra innings. Game two was a back-and-forth match up as neither team was able to seize momentum, however a timely homerun gave FSU their second walk-off win of the day in the bottom of the seventh.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score: West Liberty 0, Fairmont State 1 (8 Innings)
Team Records: West Liberty 10-19 (5-6 MEC), Fairmont State 25-6 (10-1 MEC)
Attendance: 102
Pitching Decision: Win: Delaney Haller (12-1), Loss: Madison Angus (1-7)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• After Sara Simon reached first on a fielding error, Jaden Conrad gave West Liberty their first of only two hits in the opening game of the afternoon as she knocked a single to left field. The pair of base runners would be left stranded as Fairmont State ended the frame with a strikeout.
• As the teams remained scoreless, Malory Rosnick gave WLU their second and final hit of the morning contest with a single to right center. Through the middle of the fifth Madison Angus and the Hilltopper defense had held the Falcons to only two hits as well.
• The FSU bats began to heat up as they recorded a pair of hits in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, however the West Liberty defense held firm and kept Fairmont State off the board.
• The Hilltoppers forced the Falcons to leave the potential winning run stranded on first in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings, the first time this season for WLU.
• West Liberty went 3-up, 3-down in the top of the eighth and Fairmont State hit a lead off with a triple to right field and scored the winning run in walk-off fashion two at-bats later with a single to center field.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1
Jaden Conrad 1-for-3
Mallory Rosnick: 1-for-3
Madison Angus: 7.0 innings pitched, 1 run allowed
 
QUICK DETAILS – GAME 2
Final Score: West Liberty 4, Fairmont State 5
Team Records: West Liberty 10-20 (5-7 MEC), Fairmont State 26-6 (11-1 MEC)
Attendance: 102
Pitching Decision: Win: Alyssa McCormick (7-3), Loss: Kadence Pettit (6-8)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• West Liberty went 3-up, 3-down to open the game in the top of the first and Fairmont State struck first in the bottom of the frame with an RBI single up the middle making it a 1-0 contest.
• Both teams went down in order in the second inning prior to the Hilltoppers gaining the lead for the first time in the top of the third. The evened the score at one apiece as Kayla Mancuso drew a bases loaded walk to score Caroline Woody, and then later in the inning Sara Simon knocked an RBI single to bring home Lauren Nolte and make it a 2-1 game.
• The Falcons responded in the bottom of the third with another pair of runs as they scored one on a passed ball and one on a sacrifice fly to center field to take a 3-2 advantage.
• Shelby Harris hit a single up the middle and advanced to third by way of a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch, and Mallory Rosnick reached base on a hit by pitch, however WLU would leave runners stranded on the corners as a pair of strikeouts ended the top of the fourth.
• The Black & Gold tied the game at three in the top of the sixth as Kieran Johnson hit a triple to right field and advanced across the plate the ensuing at-bat on a wild pitch.
• Fairmont State got the one run back in the bottom of the sixth as they regained the lead at 4-3 with a run coming home on a wild pitch.
• West Liberty continued to battle as a solo homerun over the left center fence by Carlee Leidy made it a 4-4 game in the top of the seventh.
• The Falcons walked-off game two with a leadoff homerun to center field, securing the 5-4 win.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 2
Carlee Leidy: 1-for-2, 1 homerun, 1 RBI, 1 run scored
Kieran Johnson: 1-for-2, 1 triple
Kayla Mancuso: 1-for-3, 1 walk, 1 RBI
Kadence Pettit: 6.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs allowed, 2 strikeouts
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will return home for a non-conference match-up against future MEC foe, Point Park, on Tuesday, April 2. The Hilltoppers and Pioneers are slated for a 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. first pitch at the Hilltopper Softball Complex.