Elkins, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team bounced back from a 4-2 game one loss to Davis & Elkins as they recorded the doubleheader split with a 9-3 victory in game two at Elkins Middle School on Saturday evening. Leading the charge for the Hilltoppers was Jaden Conrad who had a career-day at the plate going a combined 5-for-7 with two homeruns, two doubles, one walk, six RBI, and three runs scored. Conrad's pair of doubles both occurred in game one while the homeruns came in the game two win. The Black & Gold also had a solid day of pitching as Ashlyn Tapman allowed just three hits in 5.1 innings pitched while striking out six, and Kadence Pettit earned the win in the circle in game two with her eighth complete game of the season.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score: West Liberty 2, Davis & Elkins 4
Team Records: West Liberty 12-25 (6-11 MEC), Davis & Elkins 20-18 (7-10 MEC)
Attendance: 40
Pitching Decision: Win: Vanessa Hunt (7-6), Loss: Ashlyn Tapman (1-5)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• With a single to right field by Kayla Mancuso and a double to right field by Jaden Conrad, the Hilltoppers had a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs in the top of the first, however a double play which saw Mancuso thrown out at home and a strikeout ended the frame.
• After going down in order in the top of the second, West Liberty was able to strike first in the top of the third. Conrad recorded her second double of the contest as she knocked the ball to center field to score Carlee Leidy, who had hit an infield single to third two at-bats earlier, making it a 1-0 ball game.
• Ashlyn Tapman held a perfect game through 3.2 innings as she sent five Davis & Elkins batters down on strikes up until the Senators recorded their first hit on a single in the bottom of the fourth.
• The Hilltoppers pushed their lead to 2-0 in the top of the sixth as Isabella Caruso reached first by way of an error, allowing Sara Simon to cross the plate after starting off the inning with a leadoff single to center field.
• The Black & Gold forced the Senators to leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, however the damage was already done as D&E plated four runs to take a 4-2 lead. Davis & Elkins scored one run on a double to right field, one run on an error, one run on a wild pitch, and one run on a single to left field.
• Conrad notched her third hit of the day in the top of the seventh with a 2-out single to right field, but West Liberty was unable to spark a rally as a ground out ended the game.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1
Jaden Conrad: 3-for-4, 2 doubles, 1 RBI
Ashlyn Tapman: 5.1 innings pitched, 3 hits allowed, 2 earned runs allowed, 6 strikeouts
 
QUICK DETAILS – GAME 2
Final Score: West Liberty 9, Davis & Elkins 3
Team Records: West Liberty 13-25 (7-11 MEC), Davis & Elkins 20-19 (7-11 MEC)
Attendance: 50
Pitching Decision: Win: Kadence Pettit (8-9), Loss: Saylor Kneeland (1-8)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• West Liberty got the offense rolling early in game two as Kayla Mancuso hit a leadoff single to left field, and the ensuing at-bat Jaden Conrad belted a 2-run homerun to left center to make it 2-0. Later in the frame Shelby Harris hit a triple to right field and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to right field by Breena Grace. Mallory Rosnick hit a double to left field and came around to score and make it a 4-0 game in the top of the first as Olivia Munoz reached base safely on an error by the shortstop. The Inning came to a close as two Hilltoppers remained on base following a strikeout.
• Davis & Elkins got a pair of runs back in the bottom half of the first inning to make it a 4-2 contest as runs scored on a ground out and an error, after each base runner got aboard by way of a walk.
• WLU left a base runner stranded in the top of the second and third innings but pushed their lead to 6-2 in the top of the fourth. Mancuso, who reached base on a single to left field, would steal second base and eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Conrad, who drew a walk earlier in the frame, scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Grace.
• The Hilltopper lead grew to 9-2 as Conrad collected her second homerun of the contest with a 3-run blast over the fence in right center field, scoring Munoz and Caroline Woody.
• Kadence Pettit held the Senator bats quiet as she allowed only one hit from the second inning through the fifth, until D&E was able to score one run in the bottom of the sixth as they recorded a double to right field and a single to the shortstop to set up a runner crossing the plate from third on a ground out.
• Both teams went 3-up, 3-down in the seventh inning.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 2
Jaden Conrad: 2-for-3, 2 homeruns, 1 walk, 5 RBI, 3 runs scored
Kayla Mancuso: 2-for-4, 2 runs scored, 1 stolen base
Sara Simon: 2-for-4
Shelby Harris: 1-for-3, 1 triple, 1 walk, 1 run scored, 1 stolen base
Kadence Pettit: 7.0 innings pitched, 4 hits allowed, 2 earned runs allowed, 3 strikeouts
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will close their weekend against MEC South Division competition on Sunday as they visit West Virginia Wesleyan. The Hilltoppers and Bobcats have pushed the game times up an hour to a 12 and 2 p.m. first pitch at Culpepper Field in Buckhannon, West Virginia.