Wheeling, W. Va. - After getting a preview of Mountain East Conference (MEC) play when they played Salem in their first non-conference agreement game against Salem. On Sunday, they opened MEC play when they welcomed Notre Dame College to Wheeling Park High School's softball field. Wheeling battled throughout the day, but it wasn't enough as they fell by scores of 6-2 and 9-1 to start their conference stretch.

Game One: Notre Dame College 6, Wheeling 2

The first game of the day didn't start out the way the Cardinals would have liked, as Notre Dame College put a five-spot up in the top of the first. Ryleigh Peters would be in the circle for that first inning but was able to settle down and work her way through her team-leading fifth complete game of the season. She would end up throwing 7.0 innings allowing six runs, five earned, on 10 hits while walking three and striking out five. After allowing those five in the first, the freshman held them to a single run the rest of the day as her team battled back. The Cardinals would go 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the first, but when they stepped up for the second they started things strong.

Cassie Feyh was the leadoff batter and launched her first home run of the season over the left field wall to make it a 5-1 game. It was the first home run of the season for Feyh and got her team on the board to start the day. The Cardinals would end up moving runners to second and third with nobody out in the inning, but they would remain there as the score sat at 5-1 after two innings of play. The Cardinals would come back in the very next inning as Natalie Stoner started things by reaching on an error. A sacrifice bunt would move her to second and two batters later Cassie Feyh came to the plate. She would pick up her second RBI of the day, this time an RBI single that would bring home Stoner and made it a 5-2 game.

Notre Dame College would get that run back in the top of the fourth, courtesy of a solo home run from Meadow Odum, and it brought the score to 6-2. That is where it would stay until the bottom of the seventh as the Cardinals tried to battle back. After the first two batters were retired, Makie Paxson would step in and drew a two-out walk and Katie Sare would follow with a walk of her own that put two on and two outs. However, a fly out to left field would bring the game to an end as the Cardinals fell 6-2 in their conference opener.

It was Cassie Feyh who would pace the Cardinal's game on effort, finishing 2-4 with a run scored, a home run, and two RBI. After hitting four home runs last season, Feyh ticked her first one off her list. Jenna Hollerich would finish behind her, going 2-3 on the day, and Kelsi Green and Brooke Slomkowski would each add hits of their own to round out the day. The Cardinals would look to bounce back and get their first conference win of the season in game two.

Game Two: Notre Dame College 9, Wheeling 1

In the second game of the series, it was junior Randi Holder who got the call to the circle, and early on she handled herself well. After allowing a leadoff single, that was erased on a outfield assist from Makie Paxson, and a walk that followed, Holder was able to keep the Falcons off the board. She allowed a single run in the top of the second before Notre Dame College got going with a six-spot in the top of the third that made it a 7-0 game. Tessa Wise would appear in relief and got the Cardinals out of the inning, but not before the damage was done. Holder would throw 2.2 innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits while walking five batters. Notre Dame College would add another run in the top of the fourth, before the Cardinals came back with an answer in the bottom of the fourth.

Katie Sare would start the inning with a walk before being pinch ran for by Chyla Miller. A groundout by Cassie Feyh moved Miller to second and a flyout by Brooke Slomkowski moved the runner to third with two outs. The Cardinals would make something happen as a fielding error by the pitcher allowed Jenna Hollerich to reach and the runner to score from third base, making it an 8-1 game. A run by Notre Dame College in the top of the sixth would put the mercy rule into effect and the Cardinals would battle to stay alive in the bottom of the sixth. Brooke Slomkowski would single to start the inning and Rayn Casassa came in to pinch run. A pair of fielder's choices would follow as the runner remained at first with two outs, but that is where she stayed as the Cardinals fell 9-1.

Leading the way for the Cardinals was Kelsi Green, who finished with the lone multi-hit game, going 2-3 on the day. The run came home courtesy of Jenna Hollerich, who also added a hit to finish 1-3 in the effort. Brooke Slomkowski (1-3) and Makie Paxson (1-1) would round out the effort for the Cardinals as they picked up five hits as a team. Tessa Wise would finish the day after taking over with two outs in the third and threw 3.1 allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out one. 

The Wheeling University Softball team continues their MEC stretch on Wednesday, March 20th, when they hit the road to face West Liberty with first pitch at 3 PM.