Wheeling, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Softball team (3-11, 0-0) officially opened the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex on Tuesday when they welcomed in Walsh. The middle of the order had a big day, with the Cardinals 3-5 hitters combining to go 7-19 with five RBI across the two games, and the Cardinals held the lead at one point in each contest. However, it was the Cavaliers that got the better of the Cardinals, with Wheeling falling 5-3 in game one before dropping the second half of the tilt 8-5.
Game One: Walsh 5, Wheeling 3
The Cardinals officially opened the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex in game one by sending their veteran Maria Clark to the circle. Early on, Clark was locked in a pitcher's duel with Walsh's Delaney Peters, with both pitchers throwing up zeros in the first two innings of work. She retired the first three batters in order before allowing her first base runner in the top of the second. After allowing a leadoff single and a walk, Clark settled in and stranded the two runners to keep it a 0-0 game. Walsh was the first to get on the board, plating two runs in the top of the third before the Cardinals got one of those runs back in the bottom half. It came with two outs when freshman Mackenzie Burns stepped to the plate and launched her first collegiate home run over the left field wall.
It cut the Cardinal deficit to 2-1, and Clark would settle in over the next two innings. She would work her way out of a pair of jams, with Walsh loading the bases in both innings, but the senior was able to keep the Cavaliers from getting on the board each time. She was rewarded for her efforts in the bottom of the fifth when Ava Kresak got things started with a lead-off single. She would steal second to get into scoring position, and Madison Kay followed witha walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Grace Mummery would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Keke Warrix would tie the game with an RBI groundout to third, but it was once again Burns who had the big blow. The freshman stepped in with two outs and a runner on third, and split the right-center field gap to bring home Holp and give Wheeling their first lead of the day at 3-2.
However, the lead was short-lived as Walsh scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, and overtook the Cardinals 4-3. Clark's day would come to an end in the bottom of the sixth, with the senior throwing 5.1 innings allowing four runs on nine hits while walking five and striking out two. She was relieved by Kaylin Shields, who would get the final two outs of the inning, and surrendered one run in the top of the seventh to finish her 1.2 innings of work. The Cardinals came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh trailing by two runs and made one more threat to come back in the game. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, Warrix reached on a two-out single. Burns would step in as the tying run, and Walsh would walk her on four pitches, bringing Shields to the plate with two outs. However, she would ground out to end the inning and the Cardinals fell by the final score of 5-3.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was freshman Mackenzie Burns, who finished 3-3 with a home run, two doubles, two RBI, and a run scored in the game. Both of her RBI came in key two out scenarios, including the RBI double that gave Wheeling the lead in the fifth. Keke Warrix added a 1-4 day with an RBI, while Ava Kresak and Brook Sanders each picked up hits to round out the day.
Game Two: Walsh 8, Wheeling 5
After dropping a close battle, in game one, the Cardinals were looking to bounce back and earn a split of the day in game two. Kaylin Shields would get the start for the Cardinals and gave up two runs in the top of the first with Walsh taking a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the first inning. The Cardinals would take their turn in the bottom half of the first, with Grace Mummery taking advantage of a Cavalier error to start the inning. After a groundout moved the runner into scoring position, Mackenzie Burns stepped in and continued her big performance from game one, singling to put runners on first and third with one out. It would bring Brooklyn Sanders to the plate and she would come through with a two-RBI double that tied the game at 2-2.
With the game back to even, Shields would settle in, retiring six of the next seven batters she faced and the Cardinals would take the lead in the bottom of the third. Keke Warrix would start the inning with a double and Burns would single to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Burns would steal second to get into scoring position and two batters later, Denise Carillo would get the Cardinals in front. She would send a groundball to second to bring home Warrix, and Kaylin Shields followed with a double to right center field that brough home Burns.The Cardinals had their largest lead of the day at 4-2 heading to the fourth inning, but a Walsh solo home run from Sydney Cottrell cut into the lead making it a 4-3 game. In the bottom of the fifth, the Cardinals came back to extend their lead back to two after a Walsh error
Ava Kresak walked to start the inning and a pair of groundouts moved her to third. With two outs, Warrix grounded a ball back to the circle and an errant throw from the pitcher would allow Kresak to score. Wheeling held a 5-3 lead heading into the top of the fifth, but Walsh exploded for a five-run inning, spelling the end of the night for Shields in the circle. The sophomore would end up throwing 4.1 innings allowing six runs, four earned, on four hits while walking four and striking out four. Ryleigh Peters would get the final two outs of the inning, and finished the game throwing 2.2 innings, allowing two unearned runs on three hits while walking two and striking out three. In their final three at-bats of the night, the Cardinals managed four base runners, but were unable to bring any of them home to round out the night falling 8-5.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was Brooklyn Sanders, who finished 2-4 with a pair of RBI in the effort. She would add one of the team's three doubles, and was a force in the middle of the lineup. Mackenzie Burns added her second multi-hit game of the day, going 2-4 with a pair of runs scored, while Kaylin Shields, Taylor Walsh, and Keke Warrix all finished with a hit on the day.
The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Saturday, March 14th, when they open the PSAC/MEC Crossover against IUP with first pitch at 11 AM.
