West Liberty, W. Va. – It was the first two games of the Crosstown Rivalry on Wednesday as Wheeling Softball went up the hill to face West Liberty on Wednesday. It was a big day for senior Taylor Hradek, who picked up her 100th career collegiate got in game one as Wheeling picked up their first win since March 20th. After falling in game one 6-2 to the Hilltoppers, Wheeling bounced back in the second game securing an 8-0 win as they split the day and picked up their third conference win of the season.

Game One: West Liberty 6, Wheeling 2

Game one saw Abby Bumbico get the start following a couple of strong relief outings. However, the Hilltoppers came out ready to hit as they put up six runs over the first three innings of the game. Bumbico would last 2.2 innings in the circle, allowing those six runs, three earned, on six hits while walking one and striking out one. Jamie Anderson came in to relieve Bumbico and continued her run of successful outings in the circle. She pitched the final 3.1 innings of work, not allowing a run on one hit while walking one and striking out three. Anderson has been a leader in the circle, allowing two earned runs or less in four of her last five outings. She kept her team in the game and gave the offense a chance to get back in it. 

After not putting anything up over the first five innings, Brooke Slomkowski would come on to pinch hit and led the sixth off with a single. Taylor Hradek stepped in next and singled to right to put runners on the corners and nobody out. It was Hradek's 100th career collegiate hit as she became the rally starter. Autumn Oehlstrom came up next and came through for her team with an RBI single scoring Natalie Stoner, who ran for Slomkowski, and moved Hradek up to third. The Cardinals used some trickery to get on the board next as Oehlstrom took off for second allowing Hradek to swipe home and make it a 6-2 Wheeling advantage. However a pop out and a ground out ended the threat and Wheeling finished with a 1-2-3 seventh inning as they fell 6-2.

Autumn Oehlstrom led the offense going 1-3 with a single and an RBI as she had the lone RBI for the team. Hradek went 1-3 in the game while getting her 100th career hit in the sixth inning that began the two-run rally. The other hits came from Anna Florczak, Brooke Slomkowski, and Gina Fogle as they rounded out the day. Wheeling looked for a bounce back effort in game two.

Game Two: Wheeling 8, West Liberty 0

In the second game of the day, Wheeling sent junior Madison Macy to the circle and she turned in one of her best outings of the season. She went the complete game effort as she picked up her third win of the season. She threw her first shutout of the season, allowing just three hits while walking two and striking out one. She allowed just one extra base hit in the game and scattered the other two singles over her seven innings. However, this was a pitchers duel early on as West Liberty's Makenzie Ahmend  matched her and neither team was able to get on the board in the first two innings of the game. The Cardinals offense would be the one who would break through in the top of the third to start the scoring.

 Kelsi Green would begin the third, reaching on an error and then used her speed to steal second to put a runner in scoring position. Anna Florczak would then bring her home with an RBI double that got Wheeling on the board 1-0. Cassi Roman would come on to run for Florczak and would come home on a Gina Fogle double to make it a 2-0 Wheeling advantage. The Cardinals were back at it in the fifth when Kelsi Green once again got things going with a bunt single. Florczak would fly out this time bringing Fogle back to the plate with one out and a runner on. She would lift her second home run of the year to left and made it a 4-0 game. While Wheeling was ahead, the Hilltoppers were still within striking distance heading into the seventh.

That is when the Cardinals offense took off and officially put the game out of reach with a four-run seventh. After two quick outs, Anna Florczak walked and Fogle reached on an error to give the Cardinals life. Makie Paxson would bring home Florczak with an RBI single and the two out rally began. Hradek added her 101st career hit on an RBI single that brought Fogle home and  Paxson would score on a Hradek steal that made it a 7-0 Wheeling advantage. The final run of the day came home on a Brooke Slomkowski RBI single that brought home Hradek and made it an 8-0 Wheeling lead. Macy finished out the game with a 1-2-3 seventh and Wheeling would pick up their first win since March 20th as they downed West Liberty 8-0.

Gina Fogle led the way for Wheeling out of the leadoff spot, going 3-4 with a home run, double, and three RBI in the game. She was the only Cardinal to finish with a multi-hit game, but four other Cardinals finished with RBIs in the game. Makie Paxson, Taylor Hradek, Brooke Slomkowski, and Anna Florczak each came through with a hut and an RBI in the game. It was a big win for Wheeling that they hope will give them momentum coming down the final stretch. 

The Wheeling University Softball team is back in action on Saturday, April 23rd, when they host Frostburg State with first pitch scheduled for noon.