FAIRMONT, W.Va. – A pair of timely home runs and clutch relief pitching powered the West Liberty Hilltoppers to a nine inning 6-4 victory over Fairmont State in the opening game of Friday's doubleheader.

Sara Simon set the tone early, launching a three-run homer in the top of the third inning to give West Liberty a 3-0 lead. The blast came after back-to-back base hits from Sydney Johnson and Kayla Mancuso.

Fairmont State responded with a two-run single in the fourth and then tied the game in the fifth, taking advantage of a couple of Hilltopper miscues. Despite the rally, West Liberty never lost its composure.

In the fifth, sophomore Kadence Pettit came through with an RBI double to reclaim the lead, scoring Jillian Morr and putting the Hilltoppers ahead 4-3. Fairmont tied it again in the bottom of the inning, but that would be their last run of the game.

With the score knotted at 4-4 heading into the ninth, Jaden Conrad delivered the game-winning blow—a two-run homer to left-center that scored Emily Allen and gave West Liberty the final 6-4 edge.

In the circle, the trio of Leah Alford, Madison Angus, and Ashlyn Tapman combined to hold Fairmont to just seven hits and two earned runs. Tapman earned the win with three shutout innings of relief, allowing only two hits and striking out a pair.

At the plate, West Liberty pounded out 15 hits, with five players collecting multi-hit games. Conrad and Simon led the way with two hits and multiple RBIs apiece, while Mancuso and Johnson each scored and swiped a base.

Game 2 

West Liberty (23-22, 15-9 MEC) left no doubt in the nightcap of Friday's doubleheader, erupting for 12 runs on 10 hits and blanking Fairmont State (32-15-1, 17-7 MEC) 12-0 in a five-inning run-rule victory.

The Hilltoppers set the tone early, plating five runs in the first inning on just one hit—capitalizing on three walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a pair of sacrifices. Jillian Morr, Ashlyn Tapman, and Kadence Pettit each collected RBIs in the frame, while Olivia Munoz delivered the big blow with a two-RBI sacrifice fly to deep center.

West Liberty's offense exploded again in the third, posting a seven-run inning that put the game completely out of reach. Isabella McKee ripped a two-run double to left center, followed by a two-RBI single from Morr and a two-run double from Madalyn Johnson. Pettit capped the rally with an RBI double, bringing her game total to two hits and two RBIs.

In the circle, Pettit was masterful. The sophomore right-hander tossed a complete-game shutout, scattering just three hits while striking out three and walking none. She needed just 54 pitches to move to 12-3 on the season.

Nine different Hilltoppers reached base, and every part of the lineup contributed to the offensive outburst. Sydney Johnson and Kayla Mancuso each scored twice, while Morr led the team with three RBIs.

The Toppers will wrap up the weekend with a doubleheader at Frostburg State Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.