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Shelby Harris vs. Concord
JJ Stout

Hilltoppers Look to Fend Off Elimination Against Frostburg State

5/2/2024 11:10:00 AM

West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team will look to keep their season alive as they face Frostburg State in an elimination game on Thursday afternoon at the MEC Softball Tournament. The Hilltoppers and Bobcats are set to square off in a 2:30 p.m. match-up at the Botetourt Softball Complex in Troutville, Virginia, while the winner will advance to face the loser of Notre Dame versus Fairmont State in another elimination game later in the evening.

GAME DETAILS
  • Location: Troutville, Va. (Botetourt Softball Complex)
  • First Pitch (vs. Frostburg State): 2:30 p.m.
  • First Pitch (IF WIN vs. Frostburg State, vs. Notre Dame or Fairmont State): 5 p.m.
WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES
  • West Liberty enters the elimination game with an 18-33 (11-17 MEC) record on the season after a first round MEC Tournament loss to No. 11 Charleston by a score of 9-0 (5 Innings) on Wednesday evening.
  • The Hilltoppers ended the regular season in fourth place in the MEC North Division standings and secured the north's No. 4 seed in the conference tournament. The Black & Gold will make their fifth consecutive appearance and sixth overall in the MEC Softball Tournament as they hold a 12-8 record in tournament match-ups with championships in 2019 and 2021.
  • With the announcement of the 2024 all-conference teams, Jaden Conrad earned All-MEC First Team honors while Kadence Pettit was named All-MEC Second Team.
  • As a team, WLU is hitting .266 with 359 hits, 60 doubles, four triples, 16 homeruns, 153 RBI, and 181 runs scored through 51 games played this season.
  • Conrad leads the team with a .357 batting average while also posting a .431 on-base percentage, a .507 slugging percentage, and a .938 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 50 hits, nine doubles, four homeruns, 26 RBI, and 28 runs scored. On the base paths she is 8-of-9 on stolen base attempts.
  • Kayla Mancuso is second on the team in hitting percentage, batting .355, with an on-base percentage of .455, a slugging percentage of .418, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .873. She has tallied 50 hits, six doubles, one homerun, 13 RBI, and 35 runs scored. Mancuso saw a 17 game hit streak come to an end in the opening round of the MEC Tournament, but has notched a hit in 33 of the last 38 contests she has appeared in. On the base paths she is 14-of-14 on stolen base attempts.
  • Sara Simon adds a .340 batting average while posting an on-base percentage of .370, a slugging percentage of .449, and an on-base plus slugging percentage of .819. She has tallied 50 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, one homerun, 24 RBI, and 16 runs scored. At the plate she has recorded a hit in 21 of the last 26 games she has played in. On the base paths she is 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts.
  • The Hilltoppers' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 4.95, allowing 386 hits and 132 walks, while throwing 174 strikeouts. Opponents hold a .279 batting average against WLU pitchers.
  • Kadence Pettit, the 2023 MaxPreps West Virginia Player of the Year, has made 20 starts in 25 appearances during her freshman campaign, pitching a team-high 124.0 innings with ten complete games and one shutout. She holds a team-low ERA of 3.85 to go along with a 1.42 WHIP, an opponent's batting average of .257, and 82 strikeouts. With a record of 10-12 on the season she has struck out five or more batters in eight games.
  • Madison Angus holds an ERA of 5.04 while recording a WHIP of 1.56 and has held opponents to a .279 batting average. She has totaled 84.0 innings pitched to go along with four complete games in 17 starts and 23 appearances while she has recorded a 1-10 record. She has thrown 25 strikeouts on the year and has recorded a season-high of three on two occasions.
  • Ashlyn Tapman is another key pitcher to watch for WLU, totaling 70.2 innings pitched in ten games started and 22 appearances in 2024 for a record of 3-8. She has recorded an ERA of 5.48, a WHIP of 1.53, and an opponent's batting average of .270. She has thrown a total of 48 strikeouts this season and has recorded six or more on three occasions, including a season-high of seven in a win over West Virginia Wesleyan.
  • Sara Pelegreen is in her first season as the head coach at West Liberty with a record of 18-33 with the Hilltoppers. Overall, she is in her fifth season as a collegiate head softball coach and has compiled a career record of 87-163 which includes four prior seasons at Wheeling.
FROSTBURG STATE STORYLINES
  • Frostburg State enters the elimination game with a 29-19 (20-8 MEC) record on the season after a first round MEC Tournament loss to Davis & Elkins by a score of 5-4 on Wednesday evening.
  • The Bobcats ended the regular season in second place in the MEC North Division standings and secured the north's No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. FSU will make their fourth consecutive appearance in the MEC Softball Tournament since joining the league as they hold a 5-7 record in tournament match-ups.
  • With the announcement of the 2024 all-conference teams, Jamie Roberts earned All-MEC First Team honors while Arden Miller and Gracie Nelson were named All-MEC Second Team.
  • As a team, FSU is hitting .311 with 407 hits, 81 doubles, nine triples, 31 homeruns, 232 RBI, and 263 runs scored through 48 games played this season.
  • Roberts leads the team with a .410 batting average while also adding a .453 on-base percentage, a .673 slugging percentage, and a 1.126 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 64 hits, 11 doubles, ten homeruns, 46 RBI, and 24 runs scored. Roberts has recorded a hit in 13 of her last 15 games played.
  • Allyssa Albright adds a batting average of .379 while also tallying a .447 on-base percentage, a .678 slugging percentage, and a 1.125 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has notched 33 hits, 14 doubles, four homeruns, 21 RBI, and 12 runs scored. She has recorded a hit in four consecutive games played in.
  • Nelson (.347), Samara Funk (.342) Cristina Sommerkamp (.314), Hanna Binek (.308), and Miller (.3303) round out the seven players hitting above .300 on the year for Frostburg State.
  • The Bobcats pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 5.01, allowing 378 hits and 77 walks, while throwing 173 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .290 batting average against FSU pitchers.
  • Sydney Theobal holds a 12-7 record in 20 starts and 22 appearances for Frostburg State in the circle, posting an ERA of 5.09, a WHIP of 1.39, and has held opponents to a .296 batting average. She has struck out 51 batters in 111.1 innings pitched, throwing eight complete games and four shutouts.
  • Katie Chapple holds the team's lowest ERA at 4.11 with a WHIP of 1.54 and has held opponents to a .285 batting average. In ten starts and 23 appearances, she has thrown 65.2 innings in the circle and has recorded four complete games, one shutout, and one save while tallying a 6-4 record. Chapple has collected 39 strikeouts this season.
  • Bill Vasko is in his sixth season as the head coach at Frostburg State with a record of 136-106 during his time with the Bobcats. Overall, he is in his ninth season as a collegiate head coach and has posted a career record of 186-189, which includes three prior seasons at Wheeling (2009-11).
SERIES HISTORY
  • Since 2021, Frostburg State holds a 10-8 edge in the all-time series.
  • The Bobcats and Hilltoppers split the most recent doubleheader in the series on April 21 at the Hilltopper Softball Complex as FSU earned a 5-1 victory in game one before WLU bounced back with a 6-5 win in game two.
POTENTIAL THIRD ROUND OPPONENTS

NOTRE DAME STORYLINES
  • Notre Dame enters the second day of the MEC Tournament with a 34-22 (14-14 MEC) record on the season after a first round win over Glenville State by a score of 2-1 on Wednesday evening. The Falcons have won five consecutive games and six of their last seven games.
  • The Falcons ended the regular season in third place in the MEC North Division standings and secured the north's No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. NDC will make their tenth consecutive appearance and tenth overall in the MEC Softball Tournament as they hold a 13-17 record in tournament match-ups with a championship in 2015.
  • With the announcement of the 2024 all-conference teams, Katelyn Deweese and Grace Fisher were named to the All-MEC Second Team.
  • As a team NDC is hitting .276 with 410 hits, 79 doubles, 18 triples, 13 homeruns, 232 RBI, and 271 runs scored through 56 games played this season.
  • DeWeese leads the team with a .325 batting average, a .444 on-base percentage, a .458 slugging percentage, and a .902 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 54 hits, ten doubles, six triples, 20 RBI, and 46 runs scored. She has recorded a hit in 11 of her last 14 games played. On the base paths she is 28-of-33 on stolen base attempts.
  • Meadow Odum adds a .324 batting average to go along with a .373 on-base percentage, a .541 slugging percentage, and a .914 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 48 hits, 12 doubles, four triples, and four homeruns. She has recorded a hit in 14 of the last 17 games she has appeared in. On the base paths she is 6-of-7 on stolen base attempts.
  • Rounding out a total of four NDC players hitting above .300 are Jocelyn Quior (.314) and Destany Blake (.302).
  • The Falcons' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 3.77, allowing 388 hits and 127 walks, while throwing 309 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .259 batting average against NDC pitchers.
  • Allison Weilnau is Notre Dame's top pitcher, holding a 3.12 ERA, a WHIP of 1.41, and has held opponents to a .265 batting average. She has struck out 77 batters in 144.1 innings of work and has collected a 13-9 record to go along with 11 complete games and one shutout.
  • Another key starting pitcher to watch is Fisher as she holds a 3.28 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and has held opponents to a .228 batting average. She has struck out 186 batters in 172.2 innings of work in the circle as she has posted a 17-10 record in 18 complete games and six shutouts.
  • The top relief pitcher for NDC is Madison Olszewski who has posted a 2.49 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP while holding opponents to .278 batting at the plate. She has thrown 21 strikeouts in 25.1 innings of work in the circle, notching a 3-1 record as well as three saves.
  • Kelsey Stopp is in her sixth season as the head coach at Notre Dame with a career record of 126-142 during her time with the Falcons.
SERIES HISTORY
  • Since the 2014 season Notre Dame holds a 22-19 lead in the series, however West Liberty has won nine of the last 13 contests.
  • The Falcons swept the most recent doubleheader on April 27 in South Euclid, Ohio, by scores of 7-0 and 6-3.
FAIRMONT STATE STORYLINES
  • Fairmont State enters the second day of the MEC Tournament with a record of 40-11 (22-6 MEC) after a first round victory over Concord by a score of 7-1 on Wednesday evening.
  • The Falcons won the MEC North Division championship in the regular season and secured the north's No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. FSU will make their sixth consecutive appearance and ninth overall in the MEC Softball Tournament as they hold an 11-14 record in tournament match-ups with a championship in 2022.
  • Highlighting Fairmont State's All-MEC selections this year was Delaney Haller who was named the MEC Freshman of the Year. Earning All-MEC First Team honors was Emily Riggs, Hannah Workman, and Haller, while Abbie Keilholz, Bella Hess, and Katy Darnell were named All-MEC Second Team.
  • Fairmont State is among three MEC schools ranked in the NCAA's Atlantic Regional Rankings, appearing at No. 9 in Wednesday's release.
  • As a team, FSU is hitting .320 with 450 hits, 61 doubles, 13 triples, 25 homeruns, 271 RBI, and 313 runs scored through 51 games played this season.
  • Hess leads the team with a .424 batting average while also adding a .477 on-base percentage, a .468 slugging percentage, and a .945 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 59 hits, two doubles, two triples, six RBI, and 44 runs scored. On the base paths she is 29-of-30 on stolen base attempts.
  • Workman adds a .371 batting average, a .396 on-base percentage, a .406 slugging percentage, and an .802 on-base plus slugging percentage. She has tallied 53 hits, three doubles, one triple, seven RBI, and 39 runs scored. On the base paths, Workman is 29-of-31 on stolen base attempts.
  • Elizabeth Waszkiewicz (.356), Riggs (.333), Courtney Moyer (.316), and Alexa Andrews (.313) round out the six players batting above .300 on the season for Fairmont State.
  • The Falcons' pitching staff has recorded an ERA of 2.86, allowing 340 hits and 139 walks, while throwing 202 strikeouts. Opponents have held a .253 batting average against FSU pitchers.
  • Haller leads all pitchers with a 1.13 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and has limited opponents to a .204 batting average. In 148.2 innings pitched, she has thrown 17 complete games with six shutouts, a 20-2 record, and five saves. Haller has thrown a team-high 121 strikeouts.
  • Another pitcher to watch is Alyssa McCormick, who has pitched 82.2 innings in 21 appearances and 13 starts. She holds a 3.39 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP, and has held opponents to a .270 batting average, while striking out 34 batters. McCormick has recorded an 11-5 mark in the circle this year.
  • Brooke Lowry is in her second season as the head coach at Fairmont State with a career record of 73-34 during her time with the Falcons.
SERIES HISTORY
  • Since 2011 Fairmont State holds a 29-16 lead in the all-time series.
  • The Falcons earned a sweep in the team's most recent doubleheader this season on April 20 at the Hilltopper Softball Complex, winning by scores of 4-0 and 4-3.
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