Emory, VA. - After taking two days off during their 2024 spring trip, the Wheeling University Softball team (3-13, 0-0) made their return to the diamond on Thursday afternoon. They played the third of four doubleheaders when they traveled to take on Emory & Henry College as they looked to get back in the win column. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be as the Cardinals dropped both halves of the doubleheader, falling in game one 10-2 and wrapping up the day with an 8-0 loss in the second half. 

Game One: Emory & Henry 10, Wheeling 2 

As they did in their previous doubleheader against Kings University, the Cardinals offense got things started in the top of the first. After the first two batters were retired, freshman Madison Kay would walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. It brought Anna Florczak to the plate, who came through with an RBI single to bring home Kay and give Wheeling a 1-0 lead. It was the third straight game where the Cardinals have taken the early lead as they looked to maintain that lead through the rest of the game. However, Emory & Henry didn't take long to respond, putting five runs on the board in the bottom of the first, and adding five more runs over the next two inning to take a 10-1 lead. 

The Cardinals wouldn't get back on the board until the top of the fourth when it was Florczak who would get things started with a single. The Cardinals would load the bases with nobody out as Jenna Hollerich and Natalie Stoner each drew walks and the Cardinals were in business with nobody out. Two batters later, Madison George would bring home the runner from third and the Cardinals cut the Emory & Henry lead to 10-2. The Cardinals would end up facing the mercy rule in the top of the fifth, and would be retired 1-2-3 to end their day with a 10-2 loss. 

In the circle, the Cardinals would all on Tessa Wise in relief and she cam in and calmed things down over the final 2.1. She allowed two runs, no earned, on just one hit while walking two and striking out one. Leading the offense was Anna Florczak, who finished the day 2-2 with one of her team's two RBI. Madison Kay would add the other Cardinal hit, finishing 1-3 with a run scored, while Madison George drove in the second run with an RBI ground out. The Cardinals would look to bounce back in game two for the split. 

Game Two: Emory & Henry 8, Wheeling 0 

In the second game, the Cardinals would fall behind early as Emory & Henry would put up another five spot in the bottom of the first. They would add two more runs in the second and another in the third as they took an 8-0 advantage through the first three innings of play. After freshman Ryleigh Peters got the start and lasted 2.0 innings, Maria Clark would come in relief and pitched well over her final two innings of work. She retired all six batters she faced during that time frame, striking out two as she kept her team in the game. On the offensive side, the Cardinals were getting runners on base consistently, with runners on in four of the five innings, but they couldn't push any runs across. 

The two Cardinal hits came in the first two innings of play, with Makie Paxson starting the game with a single and Madison Kay adding a double of her own in the top of the second. The Cardinals would get their third base runner of the day in the top of the third when Paxson drew a leadoff walk, and the fourth would see the Cardinals get two on base. Maria Clark would walk to start the inning and Grace Mummery added a two out walk to put runners at first and second with two outs. In the top of the fifth, the Cardinals would be facing the mercy rule and ended up being retired 1-2-3 to end the day. 

The Wheeling University Softball team's spring trip continues on Sunday, March 10th, when they take on Carson Newman in doubleheader action with first pitch at 10:30 AM.