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Isabella Caruso vs. Point Park
Alec Schoof

West Liberty and Wheeling Softball Doubleheader Moved to Tuesday Afternoon

4/15/2024 2:44:00 PM

West Liberty, W.Va. – Due to the chance of rain looming in the forecast for Wednesday, West Liberty and Wheeling have agreed to bump up their mid-week softball doubleheader to Tuesday, April 16. First pitch times will remain at 3 and 5 p.m. at the JB Chambers I-470 Complex as the Hilltoppers look to continue their momentum from this past week as they've won four of their last five games entering Tuesday's contests.

GAME DETAILS
  • Location: Wheeling, West Virginia (JB Chambers I-470 Complex)
  • First Pitch: 3 and 5 p.m.
WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES
  • West Liberty enters the mid-week doubleheader with a 15-25 (9-11 MEC) record on the season after a 3-1 weekend trip against MEC South Division opponents, Davis & Elkins and West Virginia Wesleyan. The Hilltoppers dropped the opening game against D&E 4-2 but bounced back to record the split with a 9-3 win. The Black & Gold then closed the weekend with a sweep of the Bobcats with 2-1 and 4-2 (9 Inn.) victories.
  • The Hilltoppers are currently tied for third place in the MEC North Division standings with Notre Dame.
  • As a team, WLU is hitting .269 with 283 hits, 44 doubles, four triples, 14 homeruns, 125 RBI, and 151 runs scored through 40 games played this season.
  • Jaden Conrad leads the team with a .365 batting average while also posting a .442 on-base percentage, a .529 slugging percentage, and a .971 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 38 hits, five doubles, four homeruns, 22 RBI, and 23 runs scored. She has recorded a hit in 21 of the last 25 games she has competed in. In the doubleheader against D&E she went a combined 5-for-7 with two doubles, two homeruns, one walk, six RBI, and three runs scored on the day. On the base paths she is 5-of-6 on stolen base attempts.
  • Kayla Mancuso is second on the team in hitting percentage, batting .343, with an on-base percentage of .432, a slugging percentage of .389, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .821. She has tallied 37 hits, two doubles, one homerun, 11 RBI, and 27 runs scored. Mancuso has notched a hit in seven consecutive games and in 23 of the last 27 contests she has appeared in. On the base paths she is 11-of-11 on stolen base attempts.
  • Sara Simon adds a .323 batting average while posting an on-base percentage of .373, a slugging percentage of .441, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .814. She has tallied 37 hits, seven doubles, one triple, one homerun, 21 RBI, and 12 runs scored. At the plate she has recorded a hit four consecutive games and in 12 of the last 15 games she has played in. On the base paths she is 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts.
  • Sydney Johnson rounds out the group of players averaging .300 or better at the plate with a .310 batting average while posting an on-base percentage of .333, a slugging percentage of .381, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .714. She has tallied 35 hits, six doubles, one triple, eight RBI, and has scored 17 runs. On the base paths she is 10-for-12 on stolen base attempts this season.
  • The Hilltoppers' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 4.99, allowing 311 hits and 105 walks, while throwing 141 strikeouts. Opponents hold a .285 batting average against WLU pitchers.
  • Kadence Pettit, the 2023 MaxPreps West Virginia Player of the Year has made 17 starts in 20 appearances to open her freshman campaign, pitching a team-high 99.1 innings and nine complete games thus far. She holds a team-low ERA of 3.71 to go along with a 1.42 WHIP, an opponent's batting average of .254, 67 strikeouts, and one shutout. With a record of 9-9 on the season she has struck out five or more batters in seven games.
  • Ashlyn Tapman is another key pitcher to watch for WLU, totaling 48.0 innings pitched in six games started and 15 appearances in 2024 for a record of 2-5. She has recorded an ERA of 5.06, a WHIP of 1.46, and an opponent's batting average of .262. She has thrown a total of 36 strikeouts this season and has recorded six or more in each of her last three appearances in the circle, including a season-high of seven against West Virginia Wesleyan.
  • Madison Angus holds an ERA of 5.48 while recording a WHIP of 1.65 and has held opponents to a .293 batting average. She has totaled 69.0 innings pitched to go along with four complete games in 14 games started and 19 games appeared in while she has recorded a 1-9 record. She has thrown 21 strikeouts on the year and has recorded 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 15-25 with the Hilltoppers. Overall, she is in her fifth season as a collegiate head softball coach and has compiled a career record of 84-155 which includes four prior seasons at Wheeling.
WHEELING STORYLINES
  • Wheeling enters the mid-week doubleheader with an 8-36 (3-17 MEC) record on the season following a 1-3 weekend against MEC South Division opponents, West Virginia Wesleyan and Davis & Elkins. The Cardinals responded to an opening game 8-0 loss to the Bobcats and earned the doubleheader split with a 5-4 win in game two. The weekend then came to a close as they were swept by scores of 7-2 and 7-2 against the Senators.
  • The Cardinals are currently in fifth place in the MEC North Division standings.
  • As a team WU is hitting .244 with 267 hits, 38 doubles, three triples, 13 homeruns, 118 RBI, and 136 runs scored through 44 games played this season.
  • Cassie Feyh leads the team with a .331 batting average while also adding a .394 on-base percentage, a .457 slugging percentage, and an .851 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 42 hits, ten doubles, two homeruns, 21 RBI, and 20 runs scored. Feyh has recorded a hit in five of the last six games she has appeared in.
  • Makie Paxson is the second Cardinal to hit better than .300 on the year with a .302 batting average while adding a .398 on-base percentage, a .406 slugging percentage, and an .804 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 32 hits, six doubles, one triple, one homerun, 12 RBI, and 13 runs scored this season. Paxson has recorded a hit in five of the last seven games she has appeared in. On the base paths she is 3-of-4 on stolen base attempts.
  • The Cardinals' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 10.45, allowing 440 hits and 194 walks, while throwing 127 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .379 batting average against WU pitchers.
  • Tessa Wise leads the WU pitchers with a 7.80 ERA in 12 starts and 19 total appearances. She adds a 2.09 WHIP, a .341 opponent's batting average, and 32 strikeouts in 72.2 innings pitched. She is 3-9 on the year with five complete games pitched.
  • Ryleigh Peters is another key pitcher to watch, making 17 starts and 20 total appearances as she has thrown 91.1 innings this year. She holds a 4-12 record while notching an ERA of 10.05, a 2.38 WHIP, a .381 opponent's batting average, and 42 strikeouts. She has thrown 13 complete games this season.
  • Mallory Chapman is in her first season as the head coach at Wheeling with a career record of 8-36 during her time with the Cardinals.
SERIES HISTORY
  • Since 2012 West Liberty holds a narrow 22-19 advantage in the series, including wins in 18 of the last 20 meetings.
  • The Hilltoppers swept the Cardinals in the opening doubleheader of the 2024 MEC schedule, winning by scores of 8-4 and 6-0 at the Hilltopper Softball Complex on March 20, 2024.
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