Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Athens, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Softball team (6-28, 4-12) hit the road on Saturday for the first of two weekend road games before the Easter season. They opened the weekend against Concord University, dropping both halves of their doubleheader to drop to 4-12 in MEC play. The Cardinals fell 7-1 in game one before nearly completing a comeback in game two that saw them fall 6-5 to wrap up the day.

Game One: Concord 7, Wheeling 1

After playing at home a lot during the end of March, the Wheeling University Softball team looked to get off to a fast start in game one. Madison George would reach on a one-out walk in the top of the first, but that was all the offense the Cardinal's could muster. In the bottom half of the inning, Concord would score three runs off Wheeling starter Randi Holder and took a 3-0 lead after one. Wheeling had at least one runner on base in each of the first three innings, but were unable to push across a run. After the three runs in the first inning, Holder was able to settle in and threw up zeroes in the second and third to keep it at a 3-0 Concord lead. However, in the bottom of the fourth, the Mountain Lions would open things up with an inside-the-park Grand Slam that turned the game on its head at 7-0.

That would signal the end of Holder's day as she lasted 4.0 innings allowing seven runs, give earned, on four hits while walking seven and striking out two. Maria Clark would come in relief of Holder and was able to hold her own in the circle and keep the Mountain Lions off the board. She threw 2.0 scoreless innings allowing just one hit as she continues her strong of success. After Clark's first scoreless inning, the Cardinals would get on the board for the first and only time in the game as Cassie Feyh got things started with a single. She advanced to third on a single from Jenna Hollerich and the Cardinals would manufacture a run. Hollerich took off for second base and in the process, Feyh stole home to make it a 7-1 game. That would be the only run for the Cardinals and brought the game to its final score.

Feyh was the only Cardinal with multiple hits in the game, finishing 2-3 with a run scored. The other Cardinals hits came courtesy of Jenna Hollerich, Maddie Munoz, and Madison George. The Cardinals looked to come back in game two and try to split the weekend opener.

Game Two: Concord 6, Wheeling 5

After falling behind early in game one, it would be the Cardinals who took the early lead to start the second game of the day. Maddie Munoz would double.to start the inning and two batters later she was driven in on a Cassie Feyh RBI single to make it a 1-0 Cardinals lead. After coming in relief in game one, it was once again Clark who got the call in game two and she started the same way she finished game one, with a scoreless first inning. She added a scoreless second inning as well before giving up her first run in the third to make it a 1-1 game. The Cardinals would take the lead back in the top of the fourth after Anna Florczak started the inning reaching on an error. Jenna Hollerich added a single to move runners to first and third with nobody out.

A throwing error by the Mountain Lions shortstop would allow Florczak to score and moved Hollerich to third, still with nobody out. Madison George would then draw a walk but, with two outs, the runners remained at the corners for Maddie Mu oz. Munoz would come through with a two-out RBI single that scored Hollerich and gave Wheeling a 3-1 lead. Concord answered with a run in the bottom of the inning and it was 3-2 Wheeling as Clark's day came to an end. Clark would last 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out one. In the top of the fifth, Wheeling was back on the board after a single from Makie Paxson and a double from Cassie Feyh. Brooke Slomkowski would then reach on a fielder's choice, scoring Paxson and the Cardinals had their biggest lead of the day at 4-2.

Concord cut the Wheeling lead to one once again with a run in the bottom of the fifth and the Cardinals would get it back in the top of the inning. Natalie Stoner would reach on a single and advanced to second on a throwing error. A groundout by Candela Garcia Cabedo moved Stoner to third before Munoz drove in her second run of the day with an RBI single to make it a 5-3 affair. However, Concord would put up three runs in the bottom of the sixth and, after trailing all game, took their first lead of the game at 6-5. The Cardinals would get a base runner via a walk by Anna Florczak, but that would be their only runner as the Cardinals fell 6-5.

Maddie Munoz led the way in game two, going 3-4 with a double and two RBI on the day to wrap up what was a strong doubleheader. The other two Cardinal RBI on the day came from Brooke Slomkowski and Cassie Feyh would drive in the other runs on the day as the Cardinals were swept and fell to 4-12 in conference play.

The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Saturday, April 8th, when they travel to Glenville State. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.