West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team is set to step back out into non-conference action as they face future MEC foe, Point Park, in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 10. The Hilltoppers and Pioneers are slated for a 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. first pitch time at the Hilltopper Softball Complex.

GAME DETAILS

• Location: West Liberty, West Virginia (Hilltopper Softball Complex)
• First Pitch: 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.

WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES

• West Liberty enters the non-conference doubleheader with an 11-23 (6-10 MEC) record on the season after splitting games with Concord, falling 5-9 before winning 7-1 on Sunday, and being swept by Glenville State, dropping games 2-0 and 3-0 on Monday.
• The Hilltoppers are currently in fourth place in the MEC North Division standings.
• As a team, WLU is hitting .270 with 237 hits, 35 doubles, three triples, 12 homeruns, 107 RBI, and 127 runs scored through 34 games played this season.
• Sydney Johnson is tied for the team lead with a .333 batting average while posting an on-base percentage of .358, a slugging percentage of .410, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .768. She has tallied 35 hits, six doubles, one triple, eight RBI, and has scored 16 runs. On the base paths she is 10-for-12 on stolen base attempts this season.
• Sara Simon is also tied for the team lead with a .333 batting average while posting an on-base percentage of .375, a slugging percentage of .456, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .831. She has tallied 30 hits, six doubles, one triple, one homerun, 20 RBI, and eight runs scored. At the plate she has recorded a hit in seven of the last nine games she has played in. On the base paths she is 4-for-4 on stolen base attempts.
• Rounding out the trio of athletes tied for the team lead in batting average at .333 is Jaden Conrad, while she also records a .418 on-base percentage, .429 slugging percentage, and a .847 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 28 hits, two doubles, two homeruns, 15 RBI, and 15 runs scored this season. She has recorded a hit in 15 of her last 17 games played. On the base paths she is 3-for-4 on stolen base attempts.
• Kayla Mancuso rounds out the group of four players hitting above .300 currently with a batting average of .306, an on-base percentage of .416, a slugging percentage of .365, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .781. She has tallied 26 hits, two doubles, one homerun, 11 RBI, and 21 runs scored. Mancuso has notched a hit in 17 of the last 21 contests she has appeared in. On the base paths she is 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts.
• Mallory Rosnick leads the team with three homeruns on the year.
• The Hilltoppers' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 5.76, allowing 274 hits and 89 walks, while throwing 111 strikeouts. Opponents hold a .298 batting average against WLU pitchers.
• Kadence Pettit, the 2023 MaxPreps West Virginia Player of the Year has made 15 starts in 18 appearances to open her freshman campaign, pitching a team-high 83.1 innings and seven complete games thus far. She holds a team-low ERA of 4.10 to go along with a 1.43 WHIP, an opponent's batting average of .258, 59 strikeouts, and one shutout. With a record of 7-9 on the season she has struck out six or more batters in five games.
• Madison Angus holds an ERA of 5.56 while recording a WHIP of 1.61 and has held opponents to a .289 batting average. She has totaled 66.1 inning pitched to go along with four complete games in 14 games started and 17 games appeared in while she has recorded a 1-9 record. She has thrown 20 strikeouts on the year and has recorded a season-high of three on two occasions.
• Ashlyn Tapman is the top relief pitcher for WLU, totaling 28.2 innings pitched in three games started and 12 appearances in 2024 for a record of 1-3. She has recorded an ERA of 7.53, a WHIP of 1.78, and an opponent's batting average of .299. She has thrown a total of 17 strikeouts this season, notching a season-high of three on two occasions.
• Sara Pelegreen is in her first season as the head coach at West Liberty with a record of 11-23 with the Hilltoppers. Overall, she is in her fifth season as a collegiate head softball coach and has compiled a career record of 80-153 which includes four prior seasons at Wheeling.

POINT PARK STORYLINES

• Point Park enters the non-conference doubleheader with a 12-16 (6-12 RSC) record on the season after being swept at Brescia (Ky.), falling 1-0 and 4-3, and splitting games at Oakland City, winning 6-1 before falling 7-4.
• The Pioneers are currently fourth place in the River States Conference East Division standings.
• As a team, PPU is hitting .262 with 195 hits, 29 doubles, six triples, six homeruns, 81 RBI, and 97 runs scored through 28 games played this season.
• Mia Arndt leads the team with a .350 batting average while also adding a .404 on-base percentage, a .563 slugging percentage, and a .967 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 28 hits, four doubles, five triples, one homerun, 13 RBI, and has scored 15 runs. On the base paths she has collected 13 stolen bases.
• Another player to watch at the plate is Melanie Taylor who is hitting .330 while adding a .396 on-base percentage, a .352 slugging percentage, and a .748 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 30 hits, two doubles, three RBI, and 22 runs scored. On the base paths she has collected eight stolen bases.
• Rounding out the trio of players hitting better than .300 is Mara Iagnemma who is batting .306 to go along with a .344 on-base percentage, a .365 slugging percentage, and a .709 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 26 hits, two doubles, one homerun, 12 RBI, and 11 runs scored. On the base paths she has collected three stolen bases.
• The Pioneers' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 3.47, allowing 200 hits and 54 walks, while throwing 93 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .262 batting average against PPU pitchers.
• The top starting pitcher will be Savannah Lee who has recorded an ERA of 2.93 and a .265 opponents' batting average in 13 starts and 14 appearances, totaling 81.1 innings pitched. She has thrown eight complete games which included a pair of shutouts as she has notched a record of 5-7 on the year. She has recorded 23 strikeouts.
• Another pitcher to watch is Jaylyn Mullenax who has made 14 starts and 15 appearances en route to a 5-7 record on the year. She has recorded an ERA of 3.38 and has held opponents to a .297 batting average while striking out 60 batters in 85.0 innings of work in the circle.
• Michelle Coultas is in her 18^th season as the head coach at Point Park.

SERIES HISTORY

• This will be the first meeting between West Liberty and Point Park since a single-game played in Pittsburgh on April 4, 2012, when the Pioneers earned a 3-1 victory.