Wheeling, W. Va. – As they enter the 2025 season, the Wheeling University Softball team (0-0, 0-0) has a new look with 12 new players added to the roster. On Thursday, the new look Cardinals will take the field for the first time as they head to the Highlands Sports Complex to take on the University of Indianapolis, with first pitch at 11 AM. After improving their win totals last season, the Cardinals look to continue taking steps forward and climbing the ladder in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) standings.
The 2024 season saw the Cardinals put on the field a mix of veteran talent as well as newcomers looking to make their name in college softball. The Cardinals opened their season with a home doubleheader against Hillsdale College, earning a doubleheader split to start the year. The Cardinals would earn their first sweep of the season on February 26th, before heading south for their spring training trip. Wheeling would face tough competition throughout the run, and entered conference play at 4-18. The Cardinals would hit their stride in early April, splitting four straight doubleheaders, but rounded out conference play with just those four wins. In total, the team improved their overall win total by three games and look to continue that improvement heading into 2025.
The Cardinals will return just two of their starting eight position players from a season ago, led by sophomore Madison Kay. During her freshman year, Kay was put right in the middle of the Cardinal batting order, and responded hitting .246 with five home runs and 16 RBI. She was the team's home run leader during the season, while sitting second in both RBI (16) and total bases (49). She finished the year with seven multi-hit games for the Cardinals including a career-best 3-4 day where she finished with a double and two RBI against Ursuline. As she heads into her sophomore season, she looks to once again be a leader for the Cardinal's offense in the middle of the order.
In the pitching circle, the Cardinals return to veterans in juniors Tessa Wise and Maria Clark. Wise is the Cardinal's top returner from last season, where she struckout 33 batters and allowed 120 hits over 78.0 innings of work. She appeared in 22 games for the Cardinals, making 15 starts, and would throw 6.0 or more innings in four different outings. Clark was the Cardinal's top pitcher in relief, leading the team with 11 relief appearances during the season. She would throw 36.2 innings of work, striking out 15 and allowing just 14 extra base hits during the year. With a young pitching staff behind those two, the two juniors serve as leaders for the group as they go through the 2025 season.
As they kick-off the 2025 season, Head Coach Mallory Chapman has once again set up a challenging non-conference schedule. After starting the year against one of the top NCAA DII program in the country in the University of Indianapolis, the Cardinals will see Seton Hill, Malone, and Gannon University before hitting the road for their annual Spring Training schedule. However, the Cardinals will have the benefit of being in front of their home crowd, playing three of their first four doubleheaders on their home field. They open the season at the Highlands Sports Complex indoor turf field on Thursday, and will add a pair of doubleheaders at Wheeling Park High School as they wrap up the home non-conference schedule. The Cardinals look to rack up wins early as they prepare for what they will face in MEC play.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Greyhounds are meeting for the ninth and 10th times in program history on Thursday, with UINDY leading the all-time series at 8-0. All but one of those doubleheaders have been played in Wheeling, with the Cardinals dropping six home contests and two contests at neutral site locations. Wheeling has averaged just over a run per game in the all-time series, but scored a series best four runs in the last matchup.
The two teams last met on February 29th, 2024, when The University of Indianapolis took game won 9-0 and followed with a 15-4 win in game two. Former Cardinal Anna Florczak would lead the way for the Cardinals, going 2-6 between the two games with a double and two RBI. Former Cardinal Cassie Feyh would add a 1-3 day in game two and Grace Mummery would go 2-2 with a double and an RBI in the second game of the day.
The Details
First pitch for game one of Thursday's doubleheader is scheduled for 11 AM inside the Highlands Sports Complex. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
