South Euclid, Ohio – The 2024 regular season schedule came to a close for the West Liberty University softball team on Saturday afternoon as they dropped a pair of games at Notre Dame by scores of 7-0 and 6-3 at Normandy Field. In game one Notre Dame was in control from the start as they plated three runs in the first inning and added four in the fifth, while they were aided by strong pitching as the Hilltoppers lone hit was a double by Kayla Mancuso. In game two Kadence Pettit held the Falcon bats at bay for a pair of innings before they broke the game open with five runs in the third. WLU had an answer in the second game of the day as Pettit also connected on her first career homerun, however they were unable to draw any closer than three runs in the match-up.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score: West Liberty 0, Notre Dame 7
Team Records: West Liberty 18-31 (11-16 MEC), Notre Dame 32-22 (13-14 MEC)
Attendance: 246
Pitching Decision: Win: Grace Fisher (16-10), Loss: Ashlyn Tapman (3-8)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• After a 3-up, 3-down top of the first inning for West Liberty to start the contest, Notre Dame seized the momentum as they struck first in the bottom half of the frame. The Falcons scored one run on a ground-rule double down the right field line, and then two runs on a single up the middle the ensuing at-bat to make it a 3-0 ball game.
• The Hilltoppers broke up the perfect game that Grace Fisher held for Notre Dame through the first 4.2 innings of the contest as Carlee Leidy reached base safely on an error and ultimately advanced to third on the play. She would be left stranded on third as the Falcons got out of the inning with a fly out to right field.
• NDC tacked on their final four runs of the contest in the bottom of the fifth inning as two runs crossed the plate on an error during a sacrifice bunt, one run scored on a double to left field, and one run scored on a sacrifice fly out to Leah Alford in right field, making the score 7-0 in favor of the Falcons.
• After a pair of strikeouts in the top of the sixth inning, Kayla Mancuso broke up the no-hitter for Fisher of NDC, knocking a double to left center. She would be left stranded in scoring position as a strikeout ended the frame.
• Madison Angus and the Hilltopper defense sent Notre Dame down in order in the bottom of the sixth inning, before the Falcons closed out game one in similar fashion by sending WLU down in order in the top of the seventh.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1
Kayla Mancuso: 1-for-3, 1 double
Madison Angus: 2.0 innings pitched, 1 hit allowed, 1 earned run allowed
 
QUICK DETAILS – GAME 2
Final Score: West Liberty 3, Notre Dame 6
Team Records: West Liberty 18-32 (11-17 MEC), Notre Dame 33-22 (14-14 MEC)
Attendance: 340
Pitching Decision: Win: Allison Weilnau (13-9), Loss: Kadence Pettit (10-11), Save: Madison Olszewski (3)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• It wouldn't take long for West Liberty to tally their first hit of game two as Sara Simon knocked a single to center field in the top of the first, however she would be left stranded as a ground out to third base ended the frame.
• Kadence Pettit and the Hilltopper defense were in control early on as they forced Notre Dame to go down in order in both the bottom of the first and second innings, before they eventually broke through with five runs in the bottom of the third. In the frame NDC scored one run on a single up the middle, two runs on a ground-rule double to right center, and two runs on a single to left field to take a 5-0 lead.
• WLU answered with their first runs of the day in the top of the fourth inning as Pettit connected on her first home run of her collegiate career by sending the ball over the center field fence, scoring Caroline Woody as well who had reached on an error the previous at-bat, to cut the deficit to 5-2.
• Following 3-up, 3-down frames in the bottom of the fifth and the top of the sixth inning for each team, they each regrouped and plated one run during their final times up to bat. In the bottom of the sixth NDC scored one run on a single down the right field line to push their lead to 6-2, before Leah Alford entered in relief and got WLU out of a bases loaded jam by forcing a fielder's choice ground out as Simon fielded the ball at shortstop and tossed it over to Jaden Conrad at second base for the final out. In the top of the seventh the Hilltoppers saw back-to-back singles by Avery Becker and Kayla Mancuso before a ground-rule double to right center by Conrad brought home Becker to make it a 6-3 ball game. The Falcons would secure the sweep by forcing WLU into a pair of fly outs to center field for the final two outs.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 2
Kadence Pettit: 2-for-2, 1 homerun, 2 RBI, 1 run scored, 5.2 innings pitched, 1 strikeout
Jaden Conrad: 2-for-4, 2 doubles, 1 RBI
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will await the announcement of the 8-team field for the 2024 MEC Softball Tournament that will be held at the Botetourt Softball Complex in Troutville, Virginia, from May 1-4.