WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University softball team fell in the opener of Wednesday's doubleheader with Wheeling University, 5-1, at the Hilltopper Softball Complex.
Wheeling jumped out to a lead in the fourth inning and never looked back, scoring three runs on a pair of RBI singles. The Cardinals tacked on two more in the fifth to build a 5-0 cushion.
The Hilltoppers broke through in the seventh when Kayla Mancuso, who reached base three times in the game, led off with a single and came around to score on a well-placed infield RBI single from Jillian Morr. Jaden Conrad and Morr moved up on the throw, threatening for more, but West Liberty couldn't close the gap.
Mancuso led the offense with a 2-for-2 day at the plate, drawing two walks and scoring the lone WLU run. Emily Allen also chipped in with a pair of hits, while Sydney Johnson and Conrad added one apiece.
Ashlyn Tapman took the loss in the circle, allowing five runs over five innings of work. Leah Alford came on in relief and tossed two strong innings, giving up just one hit and no runs while striking out one.
Despite out-hitting Wheeling 7-6 from the fourth inning on, the Hilltoppers couldn't overcome the early deficit.
Game 2
The Hilltoppers (20-19,12-6) responded in Game Two of Wednesday's doubleheader, riding timely hitting and a strong outing in the circle to a 4-2 victory over Wheeling.
The Hilltoppers wasted no time getting on the board, striking for two runs in the bottom of the first. After Jillian Morr and Jaden Conrad reached safely, Emily Allen delivered a clutch 2-RBI single to right field to give WLU an early edge.
West Liberty extended its lead to 3-0 in the second, as Isabella McKee scored on a sacrifice fly to left from Conrad. Though Wheeling clawed back with two runs in the third—one on a sacrifice bunt combined with a WLU error, and another on a solo home run from Brooklyn Sanders—the Hilltoppers remained poised.
In the bottom of the fourth, Olivia Munoz sparked a rally with a leadoff walk and eventually scored on Conrad's second RBI of the game, a single through the right side, pushing the lead to 4-2.
That was all Madison Angus needed in the circle. The junior right-hander went the distance, scattering just three hits over seven innings while not issuing a single strikeout or wild pitch. She induced 18 groundouts and kept the Cardinal bats off balance all game, improving her record to 6-7 on the season.
Conrad led the way at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Allen added a hit and two RBIs, while McKee, Sydney Johnson, Sara Simon, and Kadence Williams each chipped in with hits to round out a balanced WLU attack. The win also gives WLU their 20th victory, matching their season total from last year.
The Toppers continue their homestand this weekend with a doubleheader against Davis & Elkins Saturday as they celebrate senior day at 1 and 3 p.m.
