Frostburg, MD. - Inclement weather moved the Wheeling University Softball team's (7-38, 5-22) weekend opener against Frostburg State up a day to Friday.  The Cardinals battled in both games as they tried to mount comebacks, but in the end it wasn't enough as they fell to Frostburg State in both halves of the doubleheader. They dropped game one in a back-and-forth affair 3-2 before falling in game two 7-3 to end the day.

Game One: Frostburg State 3, Wheeling 2

The first game of the day was a back and forth affair with the pitching staffs leading the way for both teams. After the Cardinals went 1-2-3 in the first inning, Frostburg State came out swinging, putting up two runs in the bottom of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. After getting touched up for those two runs early, Cardinal's starting pitcher Maria Clark was able to settle in the rest of the way. She bounced back with scoreless frames in both the second and third inning and her offense would help her back in the game. It began with the top of the second when Cassie Feyh reached on an error and Brooke Slomkowski drew a walk to start the inning.

Jenna Hollerich would then walk to load the bases before a fielder's choice got Feyh out at the plate to serve as the inning's first out. Makie Paxson would step in next and rolled a fielder's choice to second that allowed the pinch runner Avonikah Salas to come home and score. That was the only run of the inning for the Cardinals, but after two it was a 2-1 Frostburg State lead. Wheeling kept it going in the top of the fourth as Feyh once again stepped in to leadoff the inning. She launched a solo home run to right-center field to tie the game at 2-2.

Clark kept her role going in the circle, answering with back-to-back zeroes to keep her team in the game. She faced four batters each in the fourth and fifth innings before being pulled after giving up her third run of the day in the bottom of the sixth. Clark ended up lasting 5.2 innings allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits while walking five and striking out a batter. Abby Bumbico would come in and get the final out of the inning and send the Cardinals back to the bat racks in the top of the seventh. Bumbico would help her own cause in the top of the seventh with a one-out single, but that is all they would get as they fell 3-2.

Cassie Feyh led the way at the plate with the only multi-hit game of the day for the Cardinals. She went 2-3 with a home run and an RBI and now leads the Cardinals with two home runs on the year. Abby Bumbico would come through with the other hit, finishing 1-1 on the day. The Cardinals would head into game two looking to keep things close and earn a split of the day.

Game Two: Frostburg State 7, Wheeling 3

In their second game of the day, the Cardinals sent sophomore Randi Holder to the circle and she was able to hold Frostburg State at bay early on. She tossed a scoreless top of the first, before Frostburg State got going with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Her day would come to an end after that second inning, as she went 2.0 allowing the four runs on seven hits while striking out one. The Bobcats kept their offense going as they scored a run in the third followed by two in the fourth as they built a 7-0 lead. Meanwhile, Frostburg State starter Jenna Roberts was rolling, throwing up five straight zeroes before the Cardinals responded in the top of the sixth.

Madison George got the inning started with a single and Cassie Feyh followed with a single of her own to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Brooke Slomkowski followed with the third straight single to load the bases before a pop out served as the first out of the inning. Jenna Hollerich would drive in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly and the Cardinals cut into the Bobcats lead making it 7-1. In their final at-bats of the night, the Cardinals would fight to stay alive as Kelsi Green singled to start the inning. George followed with an RBI double and the Cardinals were back on the board to make it a 7-2 game. Feyh would then step in and finish off her perfect day with an RBI single to make it a 7-3 game. That is where the run would stop as Wheeling would fall to Frostburg State 7-3.

Cassie Feyh capped off a big day at the plate for the Cardinals, going a perfect 3-3 with an RBI in game two. It brought her total for the day to 5-6 with a home run, and two RBI as she continues to be a force out of the clean-up spot. Madison George added a 2-4 effort at the plate with an RBI, while the final run was driven in by Jenna Hollerich, who finished 1-3 with an RBI. 

The Wheeling University Softball team will return to action on Sunday, April 23rd, when they hit the road to face Fairmont State with first pitch at 1 PM.