WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team came up just short in an extra-inning thriller, falling 4-3 to West Virginia Wesleyan in the opening game of Sunday's doubleheader at the Hilltopper Softball Complex.
The Hilltoppers struck first in the bottom of the first inning when Jaden Conrad delivered a clutch RBI single through the left side, scoring Sara Simon to give WLU a 1-0 lead.
West Liberty pitcher Leah Alford was dominant through five innings, keeping the Bobcats off the board while racking up seven strikeouts and allowing just a single run through regulation. WV Wesleyan finally evened the score in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Alyssa Rohr.
The game remained deadlocked at 1-1 into extra innings before Wesleyan capitalized on a pair of WLU defensive miscues in the eighth. Three unearned runs crossed the plate for the Bobcats, putting the visitors up 4-1.
Refusing to go quietly, the Hilltoppers responded with a rally of their own in the home half of the eighth. Sydney Johnson sparked the comeback attempt with an RBI single to center, driving in Jillian Morr. Moments later, pinch hitter Kadence Pettit kept the momentum going with a base hit to center, plating Johnson and cutting the deficit to just one.
Despite the late surge, the Hilltoppers couldn't push across the tying run as Wesleyan escaped with the narrow win.
Offensively, West Liberty outhit WVWC 10-7, led by Johnson's 3-for-4 effort at the plate, while Simon added a pair of hits and a run scored. Alford (3-3) took the tough-luck loss despite a strong outing, allowing just one earned run over 7.2 innings.
Game 2
Behind a dominant pitching performance from Kadence Pettit and some savvy baserunning, the Hilltoppers bounced back in game two of Sunday's doubleheader with a 2-0 shutout victory over visiting West Virginia Wesleyan.
The Hilltoppers wasted no time getting on the board. In the bottom of the first, Sara Simon showcased her speed and instincts, swiping home on a daring steal to give WLU an early 1-0 lead.
West Liberty added an insurance run in the fifth thanks to some timely execution. With the bases loaded, Olivia Munoz reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Jillian Morr to score and extend the lead to 2-0.
That was more than enough support for Pettit (11-3), who was locked in from the first pitch. The junior right-hander spun a complete-game one-hit shutout, striking out five and allowing no walks in a masterful 7.0-inning effort. She also added a hit and a stolen base to help her own cause.
The Hilltoppers totaled seven hits in the win, led by Morr's 2-for-4 day including a double, and Sydney Johnson, who added two more hits of her own. West Liberty also swiped three bags as a team, with Simon, Pettit, and Munoz each recording a steal.
Next the Hilltoppers are scheduled to visit Fairmont State Friday and Frostburg State Saturday.
