Wheeling, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Softball team (9-18, 2-10) hit the road to end their weekend of Mountain East Conference (MEC) North Division Play. They ended up falling in both games as they took on the division's top seated Frostburg State. They rallied late to fall in game one before finishing the day with a 12-1 loss in the finale. They fell to 2-10 in MEC play and look to find success when they come home next weekend.

Game One: Frostburg State 7, Wheeling 4

After falling behind in both games during their series with Fairmont State earlier this weekend, game one saw a change of pace as they got on the board first in the opener with the Bobcats.  Cassi Roman hit in the leadoff spot for the first time this season and smacked a single to start the game. Taylor Hradek would follow with a one-out single two batters later and Wheeling had runners on the corners.  Hradek would then steal second and Cass Feyh hit into a fielder's choice to bring home Roman and give Wheeling the early 1-0 lead. However, the Bobcats would respond with three runs in the bottom of the first and put the Cardinals behind 3-1 after one.

Freshman Randi Holder got the start and never really settled in after that three run first. She bounced back nicely with a 1-2-3 bottom of the second before allowing four more runs in the third to make it a 7-1 game. She would be pulled after 2.1 innings and reliever Aubrie Lafferty was called on to stop the bleeding. She allowed one run in that third, but battled back and threw up four straight zeroes to end the game. With Wheeling on the verge of being eight-run rule, Lafferty showed poise in the circle and allowed her team to continue to fight throughout the game. The Wheeling offense would reward her for her work as they began to battle back in the top of the seventh inning.

Makie Paxson stepped in to lead off the inning and lifted her first home run of the season to make it a 7-2 game. Anna Florczak followed that with a single and Abby Bumbico came into pinch run. Autumn Oehlstrom would step up next and lined an RBI double scoring Bumbico and making it a 7-3 game. After a lineout for the first out of the inning, a passed ball allowed Oehlstrom to move to third. That brought Roman to the plate and she would ground out to bring home the third run of the inning. Unfortunately, that is where it would end for the Cardinals as Hradek would fly out to end the inning.

Cassi Roman led the Cardinals offensive effort going 2-4 with an RBI in the game and was the only Cardinals player with a multi-hit game.  Makie Paxson  added a 1-2 day with her first collegiate home run and an RBI and Autumn Oehlstrom added a 1-2 day with a double and an RBI. They looked to ride their seventh inning momentum from game one into their game two match-up.

Game Two: Frostburg State 12, Wheeling 1

After coming in as a reliever in game one, the Cardinals called on her again as a starter on game two of the day. She started the afternoon off strong by facing just four batters in the first and the game was tied 0-0 after one. However, as the second inning rolled around, the Bobcats found their way on the board with a three run inning to take a 3-0 lead. Lafferty got out of the inning and began the third inning, but three runs later her afternoon came to a close. She finished with 2.0+ innings allowing six runs, five earned, on five hits while walking one. Abby Bumbico would come out to finish the inning but Wheeling would end up being down 9-0 after three innings.

Wheeling got on the board in the top of the fourth when Mia Smallwood stepped in to end the inning. She smacked her first home run of the season and got Wheeling on the board. However, that is the only run that Wheeling would get and Frostburg State would add three more in the bottom of the fourth and made it a 12-1 game. Wheeling would end the day with a 1-2-3 top of the fifth and the eight-run rule was enacted and Wheeling would take the sweep to end the weekend.

The Cardinals had three hits in the game as Mia Smallwood led the way going 1-2 with a home run and the only RBI.  The other two Wheeling hits came from Cassi Roman and Taylor Hradek, whi went 1-3 and 1-2 respectively. The Cardinals finished the weekend 0-4 and head home looking for a bounce back this weekend.

The Wheeling University Softball team is back in action on Saturday, April 9th, when they take on Concord with first pitch at 1 PM.