Wheeling, W. Va. – As they head into the final weekend of March, the Wheeling University Softball team (4-26, 1-7) are looking to get some momentum going for the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament run. The Cardinals will wrap up their five-doubleheader home stand at the JB Chambers I-470 Complex with a pair of MEC North Division Doubleheaders. The Cardinals will take on Fairmont State on Saturday with first pitch at noon and follow that up against Frostburg State with first pitch at noon.
Last time out, the Cardinals hosted West Liberty in a midweek MEC matchup with "The Battle for Wheeling." In game one, the Cardinals offense couldn't get going, collecting just two hits over the five innings of work. West Liberty would score eight runs early, but the Cardinal bullpen did their job, keeping them at bay over the final two innings. However, the damage had already been done and as the Cardinals were retired in the fifth inning, the game would come to an end with West Liberty winning 8-0. The second game of the day was all about the offense, with the two teams combining to score 26 runs. The Cardinals would be within two runs of the Hilltoppers after three innings, trailing 5-3, but a 10-run top of the fourth inning put the game out of reach. Wheeling would fall 19-7 to wrap up the day as the Cardinals fell in doubleheader action.
It was a big day at the plate for outfielder Ava Kresak, who finished the day a combined 4-8 from the plate with two RBI and two runs scored in the effort. In game one, Kresak accounted for one of the two Cardinal hits, picking up a single in the bottom of the third. However, game two was her best game of the day, finishing 3-4 with two RBI and two runs scored in the effort. After West Liberty scored the 1 runs in the top of the fourth, Kresak would help the Cardinals on a four-run rally, reaching on a fielder's choice, and added an RBI single in the fifth to round out the day. The effort helped raise her season average to .320, putting her second on the team in batting average. Kresak looks to be a spark plug at the top of the lineup as she sparks them down the stretch.
Over the last three games, the Cardinals have gotten a spark in the middle of the lineup courtesy of Madison Kay. It started with a 4-4 game in the second half of the game against The University of Charleston, and she followed it up going 1-3 with two walks and two runs scored against West Liberty. The second game was he biggest showing of the day, with Kay starting things off with a first inning single that got the Cardinals ahead 1-0. She would add a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the third that made it a 5-3 game and rounded out her big day at the plate. In the first game of the day, the Cardinals needed a stopper and got one with Maria Clark. Clark would throw the final 3.0 innings of the game, allowing a run on five hits while walking one and striking out one and giving the Cardinals a chance to keep the game alive.
As they continue their stretch of MEC North Division play, the Cardinals are looking to climb the conference ladder and hit April with momentum. Wheeling currently sits at 1-7 in conference play, and hold an 0-4 mark against Divisional opponents. Despite the slow start, the Cardinals have a chance this weekend to play their way back into the playoffs picture, with two teams that sit right ahead of them for the fourth spot. The Cardinals are two games back of Frostburg State from getting into that #4 spot, and will get the chance to take on the #2 team in the division in Fairmont State on Saturday. The Cardinals are looking to build their momentum as they wrap up their first meetings with their MEC North opponents and push towards April.
The Matchups
Fairmont State: The Cardinals and Falcons are meeting for the 42nd and 43rd times in program history, with Fairmont State leading the all-time series at 27-14. The Cardinals hold a 7-14 record at the JB Chambers I-470 Complex, compared to a 7-13 mark when they hit the road while averaging 3.22 runs per game in the all-time series. However, Wheeling is looking to break an eight game losing streak against the Falcons, dating back to April 24th, 2022. The last meeting between the two teams came on April 21st, 2024, with the Cardinals falling 4-3 in game one and 8-5 in game two.
Frostburg State: The Cardinals and Bobcats are meeting for the 17th and 18th times in program history, with Frostburg State winning the first 16 games of the meeting. The Cardinals have hosted eight games on their home field and gone in the road eight times and will be looking for their first career win against the Bobcats. Wheeling has been averaging 2.94 runs per game in the all-time series and looks to put it all together for the win on Sunday. The last meeting between the two teams came on April 20th, 2024, with the Cardinals falling by scores of 8-7 in game one and 12-1 in game two.
The Details
First pitch for Saturday's game against Fairmont State is scheduled for State inside the JB Chambers I-470 Complex. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
