Wheeling, W. Va. - The Wheeling University Softball team (0-4, 0-0) was back at the Highlands Sports Complex on Tuesday night as they welcomed in Malone. The young Cardinal hitters rallied late in both games but the offense came too little too late as they dropped both halves of the twin bill. They fell in game one 11-0 behind a great pitching performance from the Pioneers, while dropping game two 9-1 to round out the effort.
Game One: Malone 11, Wheeling 0
The Cardinals kicked off the day's action with Tasiana Taufahema toeing the rubber in game one of the day. However, the Pioneer bats were alive and well early, putting a three spot up in the top of the first to give Malone a 3-0 lead. After Taufahema gave up three runs in the first, it was Maria Clark who would come in to limit the damage. She would get a strikeout and a lineout to end the inning and followed it up with a 1-2-3 top of the second to keep it a 3-0 game after two. Clark would go the distance for the Cardinals, but the potent Malone offense continued to add on, getting to 11 runs through five innings. Clark would end up throwing 5.0 innings allowing eight runs, six earned, on 13 hits while walking three and striking out four. Meanwhile, Malone's Mia Rose was working on a gem, taking a no-hitter into the bottom of the fifth.
With the eight-run rule after five innings in effect, the Cardinals would try to stay alive and force a sixth inning in their final at-bats. The no-hitter would be ended on the first batter of the inning as Taufahema would single through the right side of the infield. Rayn Cassasa would come in to run for Taufahema, but was thrown out trying to steal second for the first out of the inning. Ava Kresak would follow with a single and moved to second to put a runner in scoring position with two outs. Kearstin Monday would follow with a walk and was pinch run for by Katelyn Kozlowski, before Kresak and Kozlowski pulled off a double steal. Peyton Massey would step in and drew a walk to load the bases as Kylea Chapple came in to run. With the bases loaded and two outs, Chyla Miller was called on as a pinch hitter, but grounded out to third to end the game.
Malone's Rose was strong in the circle, and the Cardinals were limited to just the two hits on the night. Tasiana Taufahema and Ava Kresak would pick up the two Cardinal hits on the day, each finishing 1-2 in the effort. The only other Cardinal to reach base on the day was Kearstin Monday, who drew a walk in that bottom of the fifth inning to load the bases before the game came to an end. As they got set for game two, the Cardinals were looking to get their offense going in game two as they looked for the split.
Game Two: Malone 9, Wheeling 1
After facing a strong pitcher in game one, the Cardinals would throw out a talented pitcher of their own in game two. Kearstin Monday got the call and would go pitch for pitch with Allie Weilanu from Malone. The pair allowed just three base runners between them in the first two innings, and the score sat at 0-0 after two innings of play. Amber Morgan was the loan base runner for the Cardinals, singling in the bottom of the first, before the team went 1-2-3 in the second. Malone would break through in the top of the third After a double started the inning and a single plus an error brought home the first run of the game. Monday was able to limit the damage, keeping the Pioneers to just one run and kept it a 1-0 score heading into the 4th. Unlike the first game, the Cardinals were getting their opportunities throughout the night.
In the bottom of the third Katelyn Kozlowski would reach base on a leadoff single, and in the bottom of the fourth it was Amber Morgan who got things started. However, the Cardinals would not push a run across in either inning, and in the top of the fourth Malone broke things open scoring eight runs. It would push the score to 9-0 entering the bottom of the fifth as the Cardinals were battling to keep the game alive. They would need to score two runs and with one out Kozlowski would reach base for the second time in the game with a walk. A groundout would move her to second and Ava Kresak stepped in as the team's last chance with two outs in a runner and scoring position. She had a rocket out the center field that would make its way to the wall for an RBI double and the Cardinals were on the board at 9-1. However, that was as close as they would get as they fell by the final score of 9-1 ending the doubleheader.
It was Ava Kresak leading the way for the Cardinals, finishing 1-3 with a double and an RBI in the effort. It was Kresak's second RBI of the season, as she was a spark plug at the top of the lineup. Amber Morgan would have the loan multi-hit day, finishing 2-2 with a pair of singles, while Katelyn Kozlowski reach base twice, going 1-1 with a single and a walk. Aside from the one rough patch in the top of the fourth, it was a big day in the circle for Kearstin Monday, who threw 5.0 innings allowing nine runs, four earned, on eight hits while walking two and striking out one.
The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Friday, February 28th, when they host Gannon with first pitch at 4 PM.
