Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WHEELING, W.Va.---The Wheeling Jesuit softball team penciled in a new home-opening opponent last week after the original home-opener against Cedarville University was canceled. On Sunday, the Cardinals played host to the Lakers of Mercyhurst College at Lisa's Field of the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex. WJU split the doubleheader, winning game one 3-2 in extra innings before falling in game two by a score of 9-7.
 
In game one, the Lakers established a 1-0 advantage in the first inning and held the one-run lead until the seventh inning. In the final frame, WJU's Erika Jusko extended the game by blasting a solo homerun over the left centerfield fence to force extra innings.
 
The Lakers opened the eighth inning with a base runner on second base, who scored on a WJU fielding error. In the bottom half of the inning, Rachel Conrad started at second base. The lead-off batter, Jara Ice, laid down a perfectly placed bunt while reaching first base safely and moving Conrad to third base. On the ensuing pitch, Ice stole second base, but the next two Cardinals recorded outs without advancing the runners. After a fly out and ground out, Aleecia Sunagel delivered a shot to the middle of the field, causing the Mercyhurst shortstop to make a diving stop as Sunagel hustled down the first base line. The fielder fired the ball to first base, and Sunagel beat the throw. Meanwhile, Ice rounded third without hesitation and headed for home plate to score the game-winning run.
 
WJU pitcher Ashley Nichols earned the complete game victory, allowing six hits, five walks and one earned run while striking out four batters.
 
In game two, Jesuit started the scoring as Angela Reddick blasted a two-run homer in the first inning to give WJU a 2-0 advantage. The Lakers responded with six runs in the second inning on four walks, two singles, a triple and a double.
 
The Cardinals answered with two runs in the third inning as Jusko doubled to the right centerfield gap to score Sunagel, who reached on a fielder's choice. Ice plated the initial run of the inning after a Laker fielding error.
 
With a 6-4 advantage, the Lakers added a run in the fifth and sixth innings before WJU touched the plate again. In the bottom of the sixth, Victoria Vuljanic led-off with a single to centerfield, and Ali Smith followed with an RBI single to the same place. The Lakers added an insurance run in the seventh inning, establishing a 9-5 lead for the Cardinals' final at-bat.
 
Jesuit managed to load the bases and score two runs on three singles and a Mercyhurst fielding error. Jusko opened the inning with a shot to the right side of the field that the first baseman couldn't handle. Skylar Berger followed with a base hit to left field, and Shaynna Johnson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Ali Smith and Ice delivered back-to-back RBI singles to cut the Lakers lead to 9-7, but the Lakers defense made two outstanding plays to end the game.
 
Wheeling Jesuit will be back in action on Monday, March 25 at the I-470 Complex against Ursuline University. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.