lippery, Rock, PA. – With one more non-conference doubleheader before the team jumps into the bulk of their Mountain East Conference (MEC) schedule, the Wheeling University Softball team (3-21, 0-2) made its way to Slippery Rock University. It was a long day, with the teams playing 16 innings between the two games, but the Cardinals would fall in both games. They dropped a pitcher's duel in game one, falling 5-2, before coming back for an offensive battle in game two that saw them fall 15-14 in nine innings.
Game One: Slippery Rock 5, Wheeling 2
With the Cardinals looking to get back into the win column, head coach Mallory Chapman would turn to her ace Kaylin Shields in game one. The Freshman allowed one walk in the bottom of the first but stranded the base runner before her offense got going. Maria Clark got things started with a single, but two batters later she was still on first with two outs. Shields would step in and helped herself out lining a double that brought home Clark. It gave Wheeling a 1-0 lead early, but Slippery Rock would get that run back in the bottom half to tie things at 1-1. They would add solo runs in both the third and fourth innings as they built a 3-1 lead heading into the top of the fifth.
After scoring their run in the top of the second, the Cardinals had just two base runners over the next four innings as the score remained 3-1 in favor of the Rock. The home team would push across too big Insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and Wheeling would trail 5-1 heading into their final at bats. Madison Kay would get things started with a single and was pinch run for by Chyla Miller. Grace Mummery singled to move runners to first and second with nobody out for Shields. The Freshman would wrap up her big day in style, hitting her second RBI double of the game to score Miller and make it a 5-2 game. The Cardinals would have two runners in scoring position with nobody out, but a pair of strikeouts and a groundout would end up bringing the game to a close with Slippery Rock holding on for the 5-2 win.
Despite picking up the loss, Kaylin Shields did it all for the Cardinals leading the way both in the circle and at the plate. In the batter's box, Shields would finish 2-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs in the effort. She drove in both Cardinal runs in the game and continued that success in the circle. She would get the start and threw a 6.0 inning complete game allowing five runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out two. The other multi-hit effort for the Cardinals came courtesy of Ava Kresak, who finished 2-4 at the top of the lineup. Maria Clark, Madison Kay, and Amber Morgan would each finish 1-3, with Clark scoring a run on the day. Wheeling would look to bounce back as they headed into game two of the doubleheader.
Game Two: Slippery Rock 15, Wheeling 14 (9 Innings)
After scoring first in the first game of the afternoon, the Cardinal offense was back at it in the top of the first in game two. Ava Kresak got things started with a double and would get to third on a sac bunt by Chyla Miller. Amber Morgan would pick up the first RBI of the day, and the Cardinals would take a 1-0 lead. Maria Clark would get the start and pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the first before the offense went back to work. The top of the second began with a single for Grace Mummery, and she got to second on a ground out. Rayn Casassa would walk to put two on and one out, before KeKe Warrix hit the first of two doubles to bring home Mummery and give Wheeling a 2-0 lead. Slippery Rock would tie the game with two runs in the bottom of the first, but Wheeling was right back at it with their biggest inning of the season in the top of the third.
The inning would begin with a leadoff triple from Morgan, and Maria Clark would be hit by a pitch before stealing second to put two runners in scoring position. Madison Kay would step in and picked up her first RBI of the day with a single that scored Morgan and put Wheeling back in front 3-2. Grace Mummery would draw a walk to load the bases and Kaylin Shields kept up her success at the plate from game one, picking up a two-RBI single to extend Wheeling's lead to 5-2. Casassa was up next, and brought home a run on an RBI groundout, and Warrix would line her second double of the game to score Shields and make it a 7-2 Cardinal lead. Kresak would follow with a single and moved up to second on the throw to put two runners in scoring positon. Chyla Miller would bring one home with a single and Morgan brought home the other with a groundout to help Wheeling build a 9-2 lead after three and a half innings.
With the lead well in hand, Clark would gain confidence in the circle with a scoreless bottom of the third. She would throw up four straight zeros, including 1-2-3 innings in both the fifth and sixth innings. As Slippery Rock came to the plate for their final at-bats, they would rally with Alexsa Hurd starting things with a solo home run. It kicked off a five run bottom of the seventh inning as The Rock would tie the game at 9-9. As the game headed to extra innings, the Cardinals would retake the lead in the top of the eighth, Warrix would roll a sacrifice bunt that moved Casassa to third and Kresak would single up the middle to make it a 10-9 Cardinal lead. Kresak would steal second and came home on a Chyla Miller triple that made it an 11-9 game, and Clark would step in with an RBI double that pushed the Cardinal's lead to 12-9. Kylea Chapple would pinch run for Clark and would come home on a Kay double that gave Wheeling a 13-9 lead.
However, Slippery Rock once again put together a rally in the bottom half of the eighth, scoring four runs and tying things once again at 13-13. As the game moved to the ninth, Mummery would be the runner on second to start the inning, and Shields would ground out to advance the runner to third. Two batters later, Keke Warrix would end her big day with an RBI single and the Cardinals had the lead again, this time a 14-13 advantage. Shields would come in to pitch the bottom of the ninth, but Slippery Rock would do just enough, pushing across two runs for a walk-off 15-14 win as they completed the doubleheader sweep.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was Keke Warrix, who finished 3-4 with three RBI while scoring a run in the game. She would set a new career-high with three RBI, and accounted for two of the team's eight extra base hits in the game. Three other Cardinals would finish with two RBI on the day, with Chyla Miller, Amber Morgan, Madison Kay, and Kaylin Shields all driving in two runs. The Cardinals used four pitchers in the game, with Maria Clark leading the way throwing 6.1 innings, allowing nine runs, seven earned, on 13 hits, while walking five and striking out one.
The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Saturday, March 22nd, when they host The University of Charleston at 1 PM.
