Frostburg, MD. - The Mountain East Conference (MEC) North Division weekend wrapped up for the Wheeling University Softball team (10-38, 7-17) on Friday as they traveled to Frostburg State. It was a good start to the Good Friday action as the Cardinals earned a split with the Bobcats. Pitching took Center stage in game one, with the Cardinals winning 2-0 in 8 innings, before they fell 6-5 in game two.
Game One: Wheeling 2, Frostburg State 0
It was a pitcher's duel in game one as Maria Clark took the circle and showed out for game one on Friday. She would match up with Frostburg State's Izabella Donaldson and the two were locked in a pitcher's duel throughout the afternoon. The Cardinals would get the leadoff runner on as Amber Morgan drew a walk and got to second on a passed ball in the first inning. However, that was as far as she would get. Similarly, the Bobcats first runner of the day came on a leadoff walk, and similarly was stranded on base. Each team had at least one runner on base in each of the first five half innings, and each time the opposing pitcher would strand those runners on base to keep it a 0-0 game.
It was Clark who would have the first 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third and Donaldson responded with a 1-2-3 inning of her own in the top of the fourth. Both pitchers kept the opposition off the board heading into the seventh, and both teams threatened to get on the board. In the top of the seventh, Maria Clark would walk to start the inning and Keke Warrix would replace her at first on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Chyla Miller reached on a single to put runners at first and second but a strikeout would end the inning. In the bottom half of the seventh, an error allowed the lead-off runner to reach, but Shields was able to strand her there and sent the game into extra inning with neither team being able to get on the board.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Cardinals would be the ones to break through as Grace Mummery walked to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt by Brooklyn Sanders moved Mummery to second and two batters later, Ava Kresak would draw a walk to put runners at first and second with one out. A wild pitch moved both runners to scoring position and a Maria Clark single would bring Mummery home to give Wheeling a 1-0 lead. A throwing error on the same play would allow Kresak to score and gave the Cardinals a cushion at 2-0. With the lead in hand, Clark would come out in the bottom of the eighth and worked her way around a pair of base runners to give the Cardinals the 2-0 win.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was Maria Clark, who drove in the lone run of the day, finishing 1-3 with an RBI and accounting for both of the Cardinal's runs. Grace Mummery and Ava Kresak would score those two runs, with each drawing a walk while Amber Morgan added two walks at the top of the lineup. The lone multi-hit game of the day came courtesy of Chyla Miller, who finished 2-3 in the effort. The Cardinals would look to keep the success going in game two as they tried for their second sweep of the season.
Game Two: Frostburg State 6, Wheeling 5
With strong pitching running rampant in game one, that strong starting pitching continued into the second game. Wheeling would go to Kaylin Shields for the game two start and she kept her scoreless inning streak going. She held the Bobcats off the board over the first three innings of play, before they broke through with their first run of the day in the bottom of the fourth. The Cardinal offense had been held at bay as well through the first four innings of play, but in the top of the fifth they finally had their breakthrough. Grace Mummery would get things started with a one-out walk and Rayn Cassasa would double to bring her home and tie the game at 1-1.
With a runner in scoring position, the Cardinals kept stringing hits together with Chyla Miller singling and then stealing second to put two in scoring position. Two batters later, Amber Morgan would step in and brought home both runners plus herself. She lifted a three-run home run to give the Cardinals their biggest lead of the day at 4-1. That would be the score at the end of the fifth inning, but in the bottom of the fifth, Frostburg State would add five runs of their own and the script was flipped as Frostburg State took a 6-4 lead. Shields would finish her day throwing 4.1 innings allowing five runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out three. Maria Clark would come in to close out the inning and the Cardinals would look to battle back.
That 6-4 score remained in the top of the seventh and the Cardinals would battle as Kresak started things with a single. She was replaced on a fielder's choice by Amber Morgan and she advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brooklyn Sanders would then draw a walk and a wild pitch would send Morgan to third to put runners at first and third with one out. Clark would step in and got the Cardinals to within one on an RBI groundout that made it a 6-5 game. However, that was as close as the Cardinals would get as they fell by that same 6-5 score to earn the split of the day.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was Amber Morgan, who finished 1-4 with a home run and three RBI on the day. It was her third home run of the season as she helped the Cardinals take an early lead before Frostburg State battled back. Maria Clark would add a 1-3 day, finishing with an RBI, while Rayn Cassasa also finished 1-3 with an RBI in the game.
The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Friday, April 25th, when they host Salem University at 3 PM.
