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Ashlyn Tapman vs. Indianapolis
JJ Stout

West Liberty Set for Trio of Mid-Week Doubleheaders

3/4/2024 9:45:00 PM

West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team will continue their trip during spring break with a trio of mid-week doubleheaders at Barton, Virginia Union, and Bowie State on Tuesday (March 5), Wednesday (March 6), and Thursday (March 7). The Hilltoppers look to build momentum and secure their first wins of the season leading up to their return home for a Saturday doubleheader at the Hilltopper Softball Complex against Bluefield State.

GAME DETAILS
  • Tuesday: 1 and 3 p.m. first pitch at Jeffries Field in Wilson, North Carolina, against Barton
  • Wednesday: 2 and 4 p.m. first pitch at VUU Softball Field in Richmond, Virginia, against Virginia Union
  • Thursday: 1 and 3 p.m. first pitch at Bulldogs Field in Bowie, Maryland, against Bowie State
WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES
  • West Liberty enters the week with an 0-10 record on the season following a pair of close losses to No. 25 Lenoir Rhyne on Sunday afternoon by scores of 9-5 and 2-1.
  • The Hilltoppers were picked to finish fourth in the North Division of the 2024 MEC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll following a third place finish a year ago with a 16-38 (12-20 MEC) record.
  • Key position players returning for West Liberty include Kayla Mancuso, who earned Second Team All-MEC honors as an outfielder.
  • As a team WLU is hitting .210 with 50 hits, ten doubles, four homeruns, 18 RBI, and 22 runs scored through ten games played this season.
  • Sydney Johnson leads the team with a .345 batting average while posting an on-base percentage of .406, a slugging percentage of .483, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .889. She has tallied ten hits, four doubles, one RBI, and has scored four runs.
  • Ashlyn Tapman has recorded a batting average of .286, an on-base percentage of .333, a slugging percentage of .393, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .726. She has notched eight hits, one homerun, three RBI, and has scored one run.
  • The Hilltoppers' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 6.84, allowing 88 hits and 41 walks, while throwing 40 strikeouts. Opponents hold a .319 batting average against WLU pitchers.
  • Madison Angus has pitched 17.0 innings in the circle this season as she has posted a team-low 4.53 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP while holding opponents to a .233 batting average. With four starts in five appearances, she has thrown one complete game while totaling eight strikeouts.
  • Kadence Pettit, the 2023 MaxPreps West Virginia Player of the Year has made four starts in five appearances to open her freshman campaign, pitching 18.2 innings thus far. She holds a 6.00 ERA and a 2.14 WHIP while striking out 19 batters.
  • Sara Pelegreen is in her first season as the head coach at West Liberty with a record of 0-10 with the Hilltoppers. Overall, she is in her fifth season as a collegiate head softball coach and has compiled a career record of 69-140 which includes four prior seasons at Wheeling.
BARTON STORYLINES
  • Barton enters the week with a record of 9-9 on the season following a home doubleheader sweep of Lock Haven on Monday by scores of 8-0 and 5-1.
  • The Bulldogs finished with a 27-22 (15-9 Conference Carolinas) record a year ago, finishing fifth in the league before the season came to an end in the Conference Carolinas Tournament. BC was picked fifth in the 2024 Conference Carolina Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll.
  • The Bulldogs return Second Team All-Conference Carolinas selections Gracelyn Massey and Makenzie Cyzick.
  • As a team BC has hit .276 with 126 hits, 30 doubles, six triples, seven homeruns, 68 RBI, and 79 runs scored through 18 games played this season.
  • Massey leads the team with a batting average of .473, an on-base percentage of .500, a slugging percentage of .764, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.264. She has tallied 26 hits, ten doubles, two homeruns, 15 RBI, and scored seven runs.
  • Cyzick holds a batting average of .340, an on-base percentage of .478, a slugging percentage of .528, and a 1.006 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has notched 18 hits, three doubles, two triples, one homerun, 12 RBI, and has scored 17 runs.
  • The Bulldogs' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 5.15, allowing 127 hits and 55 walks, while throwing 141 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .272 batting average against BC pitchers.
  • Miranda Holmes is the top pitcher for BC as she holds a 7-3 record in 12 appearances and nine starts. She holds a 1.99 ERA with a WHIP of 1.11 and has held opponents to a .213 batting average. In 63.1 innings pitched she has thrown 101 strikeouts. She currently ranks fifth in DII in strikeouts per seven innings.
  • Another key pitcher to watch is Kierstin Cooper who holds a record of 2-1 in seven appearances and three starts. She holds a 5.19 ERA with a WHIP of 1.90 and has held opponents to a .277 batting average. In 17.1 innings pitched she has thrown 14 strikeouts.
  • Carson DuBose is in his second season as the head coach at Barton with a career record of 36-31 during his time with the Bulldogs.
SERIES HISTORY
  • Tuesday will be the first-ever meeting between West Liberty and Barton on the softball diamond.
VIRGINIA UNION STORYLINES
  • Virginia Union enters the week with a record of 0-10 on the season following a pair of losses on February 23 to Salem and Ursuline by scores of 10-0 and 15-7.
  • The Panthers finished with a 9-23 (6-10 CIAA) record a year ago, finishing fifth in the league's north division before the season came to an end in the first round of the CIAA Tournament. VUU was picked seventh overall and fourth in the north division of the 2024 CIAA Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll.
  • As a team VUU has hit .208 with 43 hits, ten doubles, three triples, 15 RBI, and 22 runs scored through ten games played this season.
  • Shyra Jones leads Virginia Union with a batting average of .333, an on-base percentage of .412, a slugging percentage of .400, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .812. She has tallied five hits, one double, and two RBI.
  • The second player with a batting average of .300 or better is Caston Garland with a hitting percentage of .320, an on-base percentage of .320, a slugging percentage of .400, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .720. She has notched eight hits, two doubles, three RBI, and has scored three runs.
  • The Panthers' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 12.69, allowing 125 hits and 32 walks, while throwing 21 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .479 batting average against VUU pitchers.
  • Jayanna Richards is the top pitcher for Virginia Union as she has made four starts in six appearances, holding an ERA of 10.31 and a WHIP of 3.11 while opponents have recorded a .476 batting average. She has thrown ten strikeouts in 18.1 innings pitched.
  • Skylar Rosenbalm has also made four starts while making six appearances. She holds a 13.12 ERA and a WHIP of 13.12 while opponents have recorded a .509 batting average. She has thrown four strikeouts in 10.2 innings pitched.
  • Fred Burroughs is in his third season as the head coach at Virginia Union with a record of 21-43 during his time with the Panthers. Overall, he is in his eighth season as a head coach with a career record of 125-117 after spending five prior seasons at Bowie State.
SERIES HISTORY
  • West Liberty holds a 2-0 series lead against Virginia Union.
  • The teams last met on March 7, 2022, as the Hilltoppers swept the Panthers by scores of 10-4 and 8-0 in Richmond, Virginia.
BOWIE STATE STORYLINES
  • Bowie State enters the week with a record of 5-10 on the season following a split on the final day of the Chowan Classic on Sunday afternoon as they fell to Georgian Court, 12-8, and defeated Saint Anselm, 3-2.
  • The Bulldogs finished with a 35-16 (14-2 CIAA) record a year ago, winning the league's north division regular season title and the CIAA Tournament championship. Their season came to a close with losses to East Stroudsburg and West Virginia Wesleyan in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional. BSU was picked fifth overall and third in the north division of the 2024 CIAA Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll.
  • The Bulldogs return First Team All-CIAA selections Lindsey George, Jayla Hill, and Akirra Pullen. George was named the CIAA Player of the Year in 2023.
  • As a team BSU has hit .263 with 102 hits, 15 doubles, five triples, one homerun, 61 RBI, and 68 runs scored through 15 games played this season.
  • Coreena Dunham is the top player at the plate for Bowie State, hitting .372 with an on-base percentage of .449, a slugging percentage of .488, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .937. She has tallied 16 hits, one double, two triples, four RBI, and has scored 14 runs.
  • Sydney Edmond adds a batting average of .366, an on-base percentage of .404, a slugging percentage of .463, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .867. She has notched 15 hits, two triples, 15 RBI, and has scored nine runs.
  • The Bulldogs' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 5.82, allowing 122 hits and 39 walks, while throwing 44 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .309 batting average against BSU pitchers.
  • George holds a record of 1-3 in seven appearances and six starts, recording an ERA of 5.55 with a WHIP of 1.64 and has limited opponents to a .252 batting average. She has thrown ten strikeouts in 24.1 innings pitched.
  • Pullen holds a record of 2-5 in nine appearances and seven starts, recording an ERA of 6.13 with a WHIP of 1.71 and has limited opponents to a .335 batting average. She has thrown 24 strikeouts in 39.2 innings pitched.
  • Edward Powell is in his fifth season as the head coach at Bowie State with a career record of 65-72 with the Bulldogs.
SERIES HISTORY
  • West Liberty holds a 2-0 series lead against Bowie State.
  • The teams last met on March 13, 2015, as the Hilltoppers swept the Bulldogs by scores of 9-1 and 12-1 in Salem, Virginia.
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