Wheeling, W. Va. - After hitting the road for six straight games, the Wheeling University Softball team (7-33, 4-12) is back home for the final Mountain East Conference (MEC) Crossover weekend of the season. Wheeling will begin the weekend on Saturday when they host West Virginia Wesleyan at 4 PM and 6 PM, and follow that up with a doubleheader against Davis & Elkins on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for noon and 2 PM. It is a special weekend for the Cardinals as they host their Strikeout Cancer game on Saturday, sponsored by WVU Medicine.
Last time out, the Cardinals wrapped up the 2025 portion of "The Battle for Wheeling" as they traveled to the Hilltop to take on West Liberty University. Game one was a classic pitcher's duel with both the Cardinals and Hilltoppers being held off the board for the first three innings. It was the Cardinals that would break through for the first three runs of the game in the top of the fourth and added two more in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead. The Hilltoppers would get their lone run of the day in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn't enough as Wheeling held on for the 5-1 win. In game two, it was the Hilltoppers that jumped on the board early, scoring three runs in the first two innings. The Cardinals made it a one-run game with two runs of their own in the top of the third, but in the end they fell just short as an insurance run gave West Liberty the 4-2 win.
Leading the way for the Cardinals in the game one win was Kaylin Shields, who dazzled over a complete game effort. She finished throwing 7.0 innings allowing one run on seven hits while walking four and striking out two batters in the effort. She pitched her way around seven singles and was able to initiate soft contact throughout the day, with 13 of her outs coming via flyball outs. She would also help herself out at the plate, finishing 1-3 and scoring two of the Cardinal's five runs in the effort. With the effort, Shields was able to lower her team-best ERA to 4.78 on the season, spanning 105.1 innings of work. She has logged the second most innings in the MEC this season, while sitting fifth in the conference with 65 strikeouts this season.
The offensive effort was led by Keke Warrix, who finished 2-2 with two singles, two RBI, and a run scored in the effort. It would be Warrix who got each of the team's rallies started in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, it was an RBI single that got the scoring started, while she drew a bases loaded walk to start the scoring in the fifth. Warrix moved to third on the team in RBI in the effort, sitting at 14, and raised her batting average to .263 on the season. In game two, it was Brooklyn Sanders who continued her recent string of success. The freshman collected all three of the Cardinal hits on the day, finishing a perfect 3-3 with an RBI in the effort. Sanders has been on a tear during the most recent road trip, going 7-16 (.437) during that stretch with two home runs and six RBI. She has raised her season average to .253 and looks to continue to bring production from the #4 spot in the order.
After splitting their doubleheader with West Liberty, the Cardinals have a chance this weekend to catapult themselves up the MEC North Division standings. They enter play sitting fifth in the division at 4-14, but sit just 1.5 behind Frostburg State and 2.5 games back from Point Park to rising as high as the #3 seed in the Division. The Cardinals will face a test this weekend, taking on the #5 seed from the MEC South in West Virginia Wesleyan to start the weekend before taking on the #3 seed in Davis & Elkins to wrap things up. The Cardinals will be looking for four wins over the weekend as they try to battle themselves back into the MEC Tournament playoff picture. The top four teams from each division will make the tournament and, if the Cardinals can get to the #3 seed, they will officially punch their ticket to the tournament.
The Matchups
West Virginia Wesleyan: The Cardinals and Bobcats are meeting for the 25th and 26th times in program history when they face-off on Saturday, with West Virginia Wesleyan leading the all-time series at 20-4. The Cardinals hold a 1-9 record at their home field, compared to a 1-11 record when playing away, and hold a 2-19 record in MEC play. The Bobcats have been victorious in nine of the last 10 meetings, with Wheeling winning the most recent effort. Last season, the two teams split the season series, with West Virginia Wesleyan earning an 8-0 win in game one, followed by Wheeling taking game two 5-4.
Davis & Elkins: The Cardinals and Senators are meeting for the 13th and 14th times in program history when they meet Sunday, with Davis & Elkins leading the all-time series at 1-11. The lone win in the series for the Cardinals has come on the road, where they are 1-5 compared to an 0-6 record when the two teams play in Wheeling. The Cardinals are looking for their first win against the Senators since the 2012 season as they try to break an 11-game losing streak at the hands of the Senators. Last season, Davis & Elkins would take the season series, winning by final scores of 7-2 and 7-1 in Elkins, West Virginia.
The Details
First pitch for Saturday's weekend opening doubleheader is scheduled for 4 PM 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.
