Melbourne, FL. – On Sunday and Monday, the Wheeling University Softball team began their trip to Melbourne, Florida and the Space Coast Spring Games. The Cardinals have played four days over the two days of competition, going 2-2 across the contests. Both day resulted in a split for the Cardinals as they picked up their first two wins of the day in the second contest of each day with wins over Davenport and Roosevelt

Game One: Bridgeport 3, Wheeling 1

As they kicked off their spring training trip, the Cardinals put together one of their best pitching performances of the season. Maria Clark took the ball for the Cardinals and delivered her first complete game effort of the season. After allowing a run in the top of the first, Clark would go to work putting up three straight zeros to keep it a one-run ball game. Bridgeport would match Wheeling's energy, with their starter equaling Clark's three zeros until the Cardinal bats came to the plate in the bottom of the fourth. With one out in the inning, Brooklyn Sanders would be things started with a single, followed by a Kearstin Monday walk. A passed ball would move runners to second and third with one out and the Cardinals were officially in business.

Katelyn Kozlowski was up next and drew a walk to load the bases for Priscilla Villarreal. Villarreal would get the job done, grounding out to second to score Sanders and tie the game at 1-1 after four. Bridgeport responded in their half of the fifth, scoring a pair of runs to get them a 3-1 lead after four and a half. Clark finished our her day strong, throwing up a pair of zeros to bring her day in the circle to an end. She would finish throwing 7.0 innings, allowing three-runs, one earned, on four hits while walking five and striking out three. The Cardinals would send three batters to the plate in the bottom half of the inning, but the game would end their as the Cardinals went 1-2-3 to round out the day. It was the first complete game effort of the season for the Cardinals as they played their closest game.

Leading the way for the Cardinals was Brooklyn Sanders, who finished 1-3 with a run scored on the day. The Cardinal designated player started the rally that got the Cardinals on the board in the fourth as she continues to be a solid DP option for the team Amber Morgan would pick up the other Cardinal hit, going 1-3, while Priscilla Villarreal added the lone RBI of the day, finishing 0-2. The Cardinals would look for a bounce back as they headed into the nightcap of theie doubleheader.

Game Two: Wheeling 7, Davenport 1

After dropping their first game of the trip, the Cardinals were back for a late-night affair to cap off Sunday's action against Davenport. After being held to just one run in the first game, it was the offense that drove the team's success in game two. Ava Kresak used her legs to reach base on an error in the top of the first and Chyla Miller followed with a hit by pitch. Amber Morgan would reach on a fielder's choice that put runners at the corners and one out, before Kresak's legs came in handy again. This time she stole home on a ball that got away from the catcher and the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead. With a runner on second now and one out, Maria Clark stepped in and drove a single to center that scored Morgan and put the Cardinals ahead 2-0 after one inning of play.

The Cardinals would see Kaylin Shields make her first career start for the Cardinals, and continued the dominant performance of the Cardinal pitchers. With early run support on her side, Shields pitched confidently throughout the day, throwing a complete game. She would allow just one run on the day, and allowed her offense to continue to add on. After putting up two in the first, the Cardinals were right back at it in the top of the second when KeKe Warrix got things started with a one-out triple. They added their third run of the day as Warrix came home on a passed ball and the Cardinals extended their lead to 3-0 after two innings of play. The Cardinals would b e held off the board in the top of the third, but came back with two more run scoring opportunities on the day.

Their next came in the top of the fourth when Amber Morgan got things started with a double. Grace Mummery would step up and laid down a sacrifice bunt, but an error would allow Mummery to get to third and Morgan to score the Cardinals fourth run of the day. Brooklyn Shields would then step in and brought home Mummery with a ground ball to short that scored Mummery and made it a 6-1 game. The Cardinals added an insurance run in the top of the sixth as Mummery once again started things with a single. Clark would then rocket a ball to centerfield for a triple and Mummery would come all the way around to score. A scoreless bottom of the seventh for Shields would close out the night as the Cardinals picked up the 7-1 win.

Ava Kresak paced the Cardinals going 3 for 4 with a walk, scoring once and stealing two bases. Multiple Cards had a multi-hit game including Morgan, Mummery, Clark and Warrix. The Cards defense proved strong committing no errors and putting up 13 hits in the 7-1 victory.

Game Three: Holy Family 6, Wheeling 2

As day two of the Melbourne trip got started, the Cardinals once again sent Maria Clark to the circle against Holy Family. The Tigers would get a run in the top of the first to start things off, but Clark would shut down the inning there before the Cardinals hit the bat racks. After the first two batters were retired in the bottom of the first, Amber Morgan would get things going with a two-out single. Clark would reach on an error that moved runners to the corners with two outs and Clark stole second to get into scoring position. Brooklyn Sanders stepped in and rolled a groundball to shortstop and an error would allow Morgan to score to tie the game at 1-1. However, the Tiger offense would get going again in the top of the second, scoring four runs and building a 4-1 lead

After getting tagged for the four early runs, Clark would get into a groove over the next three innings, throwing two 1-2-3 innings and allowing just one base runner during that span. The Cardinals offense as held at bay as well until the bottom of the fifth when Ava Kresak reached on a one-out single. Miller would follow things up with a double and the Cardinals would put two runners in scoring position with one away. Morgan would step in and reached on a fielder's choice and Kresak would score to make it a 4-2 game. Holy Family would add two more runs in the top of the seventh to make it a 7-2 game and the Cardinals would threaten one more time in the bottom of the second Keke Warrix would make it to third in the inning, but would be stranded there to end the inning.

Leading the way for the Cardinals was Ava Kresak, who finished going 2-4 on the day as the only multi-hit game for the Cardinals. Kresak would finish with her second multi-hit game of the trip as she continues to be a spark plug at the top of the lineup. Amber Morgan would pick up the only RBI on the day, finishing 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Chyla Miller, Kearstin Monday, and Keke Warrix would each pick up girs to round out the day.

Game Four: Wheeling 6, Roosevelt 2

The final game of day two would see the Cardinals take on Roosevelt and pick up their second win of the trip. The Cardinal offense would lead the way, scoring six runs in the effort, scoring 6+ runs for the second time on the trip. The Cardinals also got a strong outing in the circle, allowing two runs in seven innings of work. The Caridnals would win 6-2, moving to 2-2 overall during the trip.

This story will be updated as more official information becomes available.

The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Tuesday, March 4^th, when they take on Saginaw Valley at 10 AM and Walsh at 2:30 PM.