GREENSBURG, Pa. (Feb. 22) – The Wheeling University softball team opened the 2020 season with a split at Seton Hill Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals lost 6-5 in the opener, before closing the day with an 8-7 win to give Head Coach
Tiffany Buckmaster her first win at Wheeling.
THE MATCHUP
- Game 1: Seton Hill 6, Wheeling 5
- Game 2, Wheeling 8, Seton Hill 7 (F/6)
- Records: Wheeling 1-1 | Seton Hill 3-4
- Location: SHU Softball Complex | Greensburg, Pennsylvania
GAME 2: Wheeling 8, Seton Hill 7
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Cardinals took advantage of a trio of errors and walks to score seven runs in the first inning.
- Senior third baseman Brianna Grimes (Mason, Ohio/Mason) and junior second baseman Heather Pinney (Canton, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) each connected on RBI base hits, before sophomore shortstop Taylor Hradek (Perry, Ohio/Perry) delivered a two-out, bases-clearing, three-RBI single that made the score 7-0.
- The Cardinals had runners in scoring position again in the second inning, when freshman left fielder Alisa Shelt (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) came through with a RBI groundout to extend the lead to 8-0.
- Shelt's RBI proved to be extremely important when Seton Hill responded with seven-straight runs over the next five innings to make it a one-run game at 8-7.
- The Griffins trailed 8-6 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning when they had runners on first and second base with no outs.
- A run-scoring single made the score 8-7 and put both the potential game-tying and go-ahead runs on base.
- Sophomore pitcher Madison Macy (Metamora, Mich./Lutheran Northwest) locked in and retired the next three batters to preserve the Wheeling lead.
- Macy's ability to escape the jam secured the victory for the Cardinals when the umpires determined that play could not proceed due to darkness.
GAME NOTES
- Freshman Abby Bumbico (Martins Ferry, Ohio/Martins Ferry) earned the victory in the circle while making her collegiate-debut. She tossed four innings in the start and yielded six runs (two earned) on nine hits with a trio of strikeouts to claim the win.
- Hradek drove in three runs and had two hits to lead the offense.
- Pinney finished with two RBIs, while Grimes added with two hits, two walks and one RBI in four plate appearances.
GAME 1: Seton Hill 6, Wheeling 5
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Cardinals were defeated on a walk-off in the game one loss to open the season.
- Wheeling got on the board first when Pinney drove in two runs on a two-out single to make the score 2-0 after a half inning played.
- After Seton Hill answered with four runs to take the lead in the bottom of the first, senior first baseman Ashley Ledbetter (Staley, N.C./Eastern Randolph) delivered a two-run home run to tie the game up a 4-4.
- The Griffins reclaimed the lead in the fifth with a run, but once again the Cardinals responded.
- Senior center fielder Morgan Hodge (Willoughby, Ohio/Willoughby) singled with two outs and scored on a RBI-double by Ledbetter to once again tie the game up.
- Wheeling was unable to push any runs across in the seventh. Seton Hill scored the game-winning run on a triple with a throwing error that allowed the runner to score and end the game.
GAME NOTES
- Sophomore pitcher Madison Macy (Metamora, Mich./Lutheran Northwest) yielded six runs (one earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts in the loss.
- Ledbetter led the offense with a home run and three RBIs, while Hodge finished with two hits and a walk in three plate appearances.
UP NEXT
- Wheeling will now look ahead to its spring break trip to central Florida, when it plays eight games over five days at the PFX Spring Games.
- Live stats for every game in Florida will be available. Fans can visit the schedule page for links to each game.
- The Cardinals will open their Florida trip against this same Seton Hill team on Monday, March 2 in Winter Haven at 10 a.m.