Wheeling, W. Va. – On Thursday, the Wheeling University Softball team (3-7, 0-0) played their final preseason game before they hit the road for their annual Spring Trip. They played host to #8 the University of Indianapolis and battled throughout the day as they fell in doubleheader action. The Cardinals would fall 9-0 in game one before battling to put four runs on the board in game two as they fell 15-4 to round out the day.

Game One: UINDY 9, Wheeling 0

The Cardinals opened up the day battling against the #8 team in the nation, keeping the game close throughout. Maria Clark would get the start in the circle and after allowing three runs, one earned, in the first inning the sophomore settled in. She came back with a scoreless second, Clark would hold the Greyhounds off the board in three of the next four innings. She would hold the Greyhounds hitless in each of those three innings, but the Greyhounds would get equally strong work on the circle. They had one base runner in the first two innings against UINDY's Kenzee Smith before the Cardinals broke through into the hit column in the bottom of the third.

With the score sitting at 5-0, the Cardinals got going as Anna Florczak stepped in to start things off. She would promptly single through the left side of the infield to put the leadoff runner on base. Two batters later, the Cardinals would push that runner to scoring position as Maddie Munoz singled back to the pitcher.
The Cardinals would get another runner on the following inning as Madison George drew a walk, but the score remained 5-0 in favor of UINDY. Clark would keep them at bay until the final two innings as they pushed two more runs across. Clark would finish the day throwing a complete 7.0 innings, allowing nine runs, six earned, on nine hits while walking nine and striking out one. With the score sitting at 9-0, the Cardinals would look to stay alive in the bottom of the seventh, and Makie Paxson started things strong with a leadoff triple. However, she would be stranded and the Cardinals would fall 9-0.

Four different Cardinals would pick up hits on the day to lead the offensive effort. The line extra base hit of the day came courtesy of Makie Paxson, who finished 1-4 with a triple on the day. Anna Florczak, Madison Kay, and Maddie Munoz were the other three Cardinals to get a hit as the Cardinals wrapped up game one The Cardinals would look to take that battle into game two and turn it into runs on the board.

Game Two: UINDY 15, Wheeling 4

In the second game of the day, the Greyhound bats would not go quietly as they put 10 runs on the board through the first two innings. The Cardinals would however, break their drought in the bottom of the second, as Madison George was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Two batters later, Natalie Stoner drew a walk and put runners at first and second with one out. Grace Mummery would then step in and pick up the runner in scoring position with an RBI double. After being held hitless in game one, Mummery came through in a big moment as she got her team's offense going. It would be the lone run of the inning for the Cardinals and they cut the Greyhound lead to 10-1. UINDY would put up their third straight five-spot in the top of the third, before the Cardinals shut things down.

In the bottom of the inning, the Cardinals would get another run back as Maddie Munoz walked to start the inning. Cassie Feyh would follow with a ringing double to the right-centerfield wall and Munoz came all the way around from first to make it a 10-2 game The Cardinals needed someone to come in and shut things down, and they got that effort from junior Randi Holder. Holder entered the game in the top of the third and, after allowing two runs in the top of the third, shut things down the rest of the way. She finished with 3.0 innings of work allowing just the two runs, one earned, on seven hits while walking two and striking out three. Holder threw up two big zeroes in the fourth and fifth innings and gave the Cardinals a chance to fight to stay alive in the bottom of the fifth.

With the game on the line, the Cardinals put together their best stretch of the day, starting with a Munoz walk. Two batters later, Katie Sare would pinch hit and drew a walk of her own to put runners on first and second for the second time in the game. Chyla Miller would come in to run for Sare and a wild pitch moved runners to second and third for Anna Florczak. Florczak would come through with a two RBI double and the Cardinals made it a 15-4 game. Maria Clark would add a pinch hit single, but Florczak would be thrown out at the plate for the second out. Jenna Hollerich would then reach on an error, bringing Natalie Stoner to the plate. However, that's where the run would end as a groundout ended the game with the Cardinals falling 15-4.

With her two RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, Anna Florczak would lead the Cardinal's offensive efforts, finishing 1-3 with a double and two RBI in the game. Grace Mummery would have the lone multi-hit effort of the day, going 2-2 with an RBI while Cassie Feyh finished 1-3 with an RBI.

The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Sunday, March 3rd, as they begin their annual spring trip at UVA Wise with first pitch at 1 PM.