Wheeling, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Softball team (2-16, 0-0) wrapped up their preseason non-conference schedule on Wednesday when they hosted Ohio Dominican. It was a tale of two games with pitching dominating game one and the offense taking control for game two as the Cardinals earned a big split. They fell in game one in a 1-0 pitcher's duel and held on for a dramatic 10-9 win in the second game of the day.

Game One: Ohio Dominican 1, Wheeling 0

The first game of the day it was a pitchers duel as the Cardinals and Panthers duked it out in the circle. Randi Holder would get the game one start and was dominant through the first three innings. She allowed one lone hit during that time, coming in the first inning, and registering 1-2-3 innings in the second and third innings and the score sat at 0-0 after three. That would be the end of the night for Holder, as she threw 3.0 innings allowing the one hit while walking one and striking out one. However, the Cardinals had just as much struggles through those first three innings, getting just three hits during that span and the game was tied at 0-0aftwe three innings.

Maria Clark entered the game for the fourth in ing and Ohio Dominican tacked on a run to take a 1-0 lead. Clark ended up throwing 2.0 innings of work allowing just one run on three hits while walking one and striking out one. Abby Bumbico would come in to throw the final two innings of work and allowing just two hits. The score remained 1-0 heading into the top of the seventh inning and the Cardinals came to the plate for their final swings. The Cardinals put the ball in play three times, but all three ended up being groundouts as the Cardinals fell to the Panthers by that 1-0 score. It was a great pitching effort, but the Cardinals just couldn't get the bats going in support.

The Cardinals totaled four hits on the night, with sophomore Makie Paxson leading the way going 2-2. The other two hits on the day came from Madison George and Candela Garcia Cabedo as they both finished the day 1-3. The Cardinals were looking to get the bats going in game two as they looked for their second doubleheader split of the year.

Game Two: Wheeling 10, Ohio Dominican 9

After both offenses were put on ice in game one, the offenses would take center stage as both teams got on the board in the first. Ohio Dominican would push across two runs in the top of the first and Wheeling would answer in their half. Paxson started the Wheeling half of the first with a single for the second straight game before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Maddie Munoz would follow with a single and the Cardinals had runners on first and third with nobody out. After the first out of the inning, the Cardinals would manufacture a run as a delayed steal by Munoz sent Paxson home and the Cardinals made it a 2-1 game. Munoz moved to third on the play and came home on a Brooke Slomkowski single that made it a 2-2 game after one.

The pitching was back in control over the next few innings as the Cardinals were cruising in the circle. Jamie Anderson bounced back with a clean second innung before Jenee Brodeur came in and threw up back-to-back zeroes in the third and fourth. With the game sitting at 2-2, the Cardinals were back in the board in the bottom of the fourth. Anna Florczak doubled to start the inning anf was still on third with two outs. Leah Klockowski would then step in and delivered a big two-out single that brought home Florczak and gave Wheeling their first lead of the day at 3-2. That offense was just as rampant with the lead on their side as they came back with their biggest inning of the season in the bottom of the fifth.

Paxson got things started with a single and two batters later Madison George and Slomkowski each added singles to load the bases with one out. Florczak would move the runners station to station with a single and Jenna Hollerich got hit by a pitch to make it a 5-2 Wheeling lead. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, it was Klockowski who would once again step in with two on and two out. She delivered her second big clutch hit of the game as she Iined a two-RBI single to give the Cardinals a 7-2 lead. It was the team's biggest lead of the season to this point, but Ohio Dominican still had some tricks up their sleeves over the final two innings of play.

Ohio Dominican got four runs back in the top of the sixth and it was once again a nailbiter at 7-6 entering the bottom of the sixth. The Cardinals would get some much needed insurance runs. Maddie Munoz got on with a one-out walk and George followed with a single that put runners in first and second with one out. Brooke Slomkowski would then step in and lined a two-RBI double into center to score Munoz and make it an 8-6 game. After a pop-out accounted for the second out of the inning before Jenna Hollerich cleared the bases with a two-RBI double to make it a 10-6 Wheeling lead. That would be one of the biggest hits of the game as Ohio Dominican scored three in the top of the seventh. Despite the scare, Wheeling held on to win 10-9 and picked to their second win of the 2023 season.

Leah Klockowski led the way with two clutch two-out RBI's to go 2-3 with three RBI on the evening. It was a career-high effort for Klockowski as she helped secure a big win. Jenna Hollerich also added three RBI on the day, setting a career high, while going 2-3. Brooke Slomkowski rounded out the night with a 2-4 effort with a double and two RBI to help secure the win. Makie Paxson went 2-4 at the top of the lineup and Anna Florczak would add the final RBI of the effort.

The Wheeling University Softball team returns fto action on Saturday, March 18th, when they hit the road to face Alderson Broaddus at noon.