Jefferson City, TN. - The annual spring training trip ended for the Wheeling University Softball team (3-15, 0-0) on Sunday as their final stop took them to Jefferson City, Tennessee. The Cardinals would battle Carson-Newman university in doubleheader action and ended their trip being swept at the hands of the Eagles. Wheeling got multi-hit efforts from some of their top players in both games, but fell by scores of 16-1 and 23-5 as they head home to prepare for Mountain East Conference (MEC) play next weekend.
Game 1: Carson-Newman 16, Wheeling 1
In the first game of the day, the Cardinals offense would put up one run on three hits on the day, with senior
Cassie Feyh leading the effort. She finished 2-2 at the plate with the team's lone run scored on the day. It was one of three hits for the Cardinals as she got the first hit of the game in the top of the third and started things in the top of the fifth when they scored their lone run of the contest. The lone extra base hit of the contest would come courtesy of
Anna Florczak, who finished 1-2 with a double as she continues her recent string of success. The only RBI of the day came courtesy of
Jenna Hollerich, who went 0-2. The Cardinals had just one hit through the first three innings and the Cardinals would get things going on the top of the fifth.
Feyh would single to start the inning before
Anna Florczak doubled to put runners at second and third with nobody out.
Jenna Hollerich would then hit a groundball to bring home Feyh and drive in the lone Cardinal run of the day.
Maria Clark and
Randi Holder would toe the circle for the Cardinals, with Clark throwing 1.2 innings while Holder would throw the final 2.1 innings of the game. The Cardinals fell to a team that had made it to the NCAA Tournament a season ago and as they came back for game two, they looked to get back in the win column heading into game two.
Game 2: Carson-Newman 23, Wheeling 5
In the second half of the day, the Cardinals would build off of their fifth inning momentum when they headed into the top of the first.
Makie Paxson would single to start the inning and
Chyla Miller would replace her by reaching on a Fielder's Choice.
Katie Sare would then single to put runners on the corner's with one out to bring
Cassie Feyh to the plate. Feyh would come through once again with a single, bringing home Miller and giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. However, Carson-Newman's offense would keep their success, scoring 17 unanswered runs before the Cardinals got back on the board in the top of the third.
Makie Paxson would step in with nobody on and one out and would draw a walk to start the inning.
Miller would then follow with a single and
Katie Sare would follow with a Fielder's Choice that loaded the bases with one out. This brought Feyh to the plate once again and singled to bring home Paxson to make it a 17-2 game.
Anna Florczak would then get hit by a pitch to bring home the Cardinal's third run of the day and Hollerich would add the second RBI hit of the inning to cut the deficit to 17-4. The final Cardinal run came in the top of the fourth after
Madison George walked to start the inning. Two batters later, a wild pitch would move George to second and
Katie Sare would come through with her first RBI of the day. She singled to left center field to bring home George and brought the game to its final score of 23-5.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was
Cassie Feyh, who came through with her second multi-hit game. She finished 2-3 with a pair of singles and two RBI in the game.
Katie Sare would add another multi-hit game, finishing 2-3 with a single and an RBI.
Anna Florczak and
Jenna Hollerich would drive in the other runs on the day as the Cardinal's wrapped up their spring trip.
The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Wednesday, March 13th, when they hit the road to face Ohio Dominican with first pitch at 2 PM.
