WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The West Liberty University softball team returns to action this weekend as the Hilltoppers travel to Salem, Virginia to compete in the Salem Regional Tournament, playing four games across two days.

West Liberty will open the weekend on Saturday with a pair of games, facing Slippery Rock at 11 a.m. followed by Shippensburg at 1 p.m.. The Hilltoppers return to the field on Sunday, taking on Shepherd at 10 a.m. before wrapping up the tournament against Bloomsburg at noon.

West Liberty enters the weekend with a 4-9 record, led offensively by several players who have produced strong numbers early in the season.

Paytyn Tucker has paced the Hilltopper lineup, batting .441 while collecting 15 hits and swiping nine bases in nine attempts. Tucker's speed and consistency at the top of the order have helped spark the offense throughout the opening weeks of the season.

Jaden Conrad has also been a key contributor, hitting .342 with three doubles, a home run, and seven RBIs, while Sara Simon has added power in the middle of the lineup with two home runs and a .525 slugging percentage.

Additional run production has come from Kadence Pettit, who is hitting .333, and Annaliese Davis, who has driven in six runs while adding extra-base pop with three doubles and a triple.

As a team, West Liberty is batting .250 with 82 hits and 53 runs scored through the first 13 games of the season.

Pettit has also anchored the Hilltopper pitching staff, posting a 2.90 ERA across 29 innings with 21 strikeouts. She leads a pitching rotation that has seen contributions from Rylee Mangold, Ashlyn Tapman, and Annaliese Davis.

Mangold enters the weekend with a 2-1 record, while Davis has struck out 12 batters in 16.2 innings of work.




West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.