WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty softball team dropped a hard-fought 4-3 extra-inning battle against the University of Charleston in Game One of their Friday doubleheader.
The Hilltoppers (8-14) took an early lead in the fourth inning when Isabella McKee launched a two-run homer, driving in Ashlyn Tapman to put West Liberty ahead 2-0.
Charleston (9-7) responded in the fifth, cutting the deficit in half on an RBI single. They struck again in the seventh on another RBI single, tying the game at 2-2 and forcing extra innings.
After three scoreless frames, the Golden Eagles broke through in the 10th. Kayla Moran doubled to right field, plating Jordan Walker for the go-ahead run. Moments later, Kaleigh Serra's sacrifice fly brought Moran home, giving Charleston a 4-2 lead.
West Liberty fought back in the bottom of the inning, as Jaden Conrad doubled to drive in Kayla Mancuso and make it a one-run game. However, Charleston's Addison Mass closed out the complete-game win, stranding the tying run to seal the 4-3 victory.
Mass (7-2) dominated in the circle, allowing just five hits and striking out 11 across 10 innings. Tapman (1-5) took the loss in relief for West Liberty, surrendering two runs over three innings.
Game 2
The Toppers mounted a comeback in Game Two of their Friday doubleheader, overcoming an early deficit to defeat the University of Charleston 10-5 and earn a series split.
The Golden Eagles (9-8, 2-3) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. West Liberty (9-14, 3-1) responded in the bottom half, as Alayna Cook doubled home a run before Kayla Mancuso's two-run double put the Hilltoppers ahead 3-2.
Charleston answered in the third, plating three runs to regain a 5-3 lead. However, the Hilltoppers began their surge in the fourth when Isabella McKee's sacrifice fly brought home Sara Simon to make it a one-run game.
West Liberty erupted for a decisive six-run fifth inning, taking control of the contest. Jaden Conrad started the rally by drawing a walk, and after two more free passes, Ashlyn Tapman and Sydney Johnson both walked in runs to give WLU the lead. Simon, McKee, Cook, and Mancuso all followed with RBI hits, capping off the big frame and extending the Hilltoppers' lead to 10-5.
Kadence Pettit (5-2) entered in relief and shut down the Golden Eagles over the final four innings, allowing just three hits and no runs to secure the win.
Mancuso led the offensive charge for West Liberty, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Simon added two hits, two runs, and an RBI. The Hilltoppers tallied 10 hits and took advantage of six walks to fuel their offensive outburst.
The Toppers return to the field Saturday in a doubleheader with West Virginia State starting at 2 p.m.
