WHEELING, W.Va. (April 18) – The Wheeling Jesuit University softball team was swept by Fairmont State Thursday afternoon in a Mountain East Conference (MEC) doubleheader at the JB Chambers Complex.
 
The Cardinals fall to 7-35 overall, 5-19 in the MEC. Meanwhile, the Falcons improve to 16-10 in league play, 22-18 overall this season.
 
GAME ONE: Fairmont State 3, Wheeling Jesuit 1
The Cardinals were limited to one run on four hits in their game one loss.
 
Fairmont State plated two runs in the first inning to take the early lead.
 
WJU got on the board in the third inning to make the score 2-1 when senior Molly Welsh (Bethel Park, Pa./OLSH) reached on an error and scored when sophomore Alaina York (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) forced a throw to second on a stolen base attempt.
 
Fairmont State rebuilt its lead to 3-1 in the fourth inning and limited the Cardinals to a pair of walks over the final three innings to secure the win.
 
Freshman pitcher Madison Macy (Metamora, Mich./Lutheran Northwest) took the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits with one strikeout.
 
GAME TWO: Fairmont State 5, Wheeling Jesuit 2
Fairmont State scored runs in the final two innings to clinch a 5-2 win and a sweep of the Cardinals in game two.
 
The Falcons scored twice in the first inning, but WJU answered back with two in the second when York knocked in a pair of runs with a triple to tie the game.
 
The Cardinals threatened with runners on second and third in both the third and the fourth innings, but were unable to push across a go-ahead run.
 
Fairmont State broke through with a run in the sixth to take the lead and added two insurance runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach.
 
The Cardinals clubbed out 10 hits in the loss. Welsh, York and senior Jackie Cramer (Indian Head, Pa./Connellsville) each finished with two hits.
 
Between games the Cardinals honored their five senior student-athletes for their contributions to the program over the past four years, which included Welsh, Kramer, Taylor DiPerna (Coraopolis, Pa./OLSH), Courtney Rogers (Hurricane, W.Va./Hurricane) and Erin Unterbrink (Raymond, Ohio/Marysville).
 
The Cardinals have re-scheduled its next doubleheader, originally slated for Saturday. WJU will now host Shepherd for a MEC twin bill on Monday, April 22 at 11 a.m.