Wheeling, W. Va- The Wheeling University Softball team (5-15), (0-0) took on the Salem Tigers for a non-conference doubleheader matchup at the Highlands Sports Complex. Despite falling 6-2 in game one, the Cardinals shutout the Tigers 5-0 in game two. Across both games, Kaylin Shields struck out six batters, and Ava Kresak led the offense with four hits on the day.
Game One: Salem- 6 Wheeling- 2
Maria Clark started the game strong in the circle for the Cardinals as she struck the first and third batter out to end the top of the first quickly. On offense, Maria Harrison led off with a single for the first hit of the contest. KeKe Warrix followed her up with another single to put two Cardinals on base. The two were able to advance a base because of a wild pitch, but they were unable to cross home plate.
Salem opened the top of the second with back-to-back doubles for the early 1-0 lead. A single and a walk loaded the bases and then the Tigers cleared the bases with a single out to right field to jump out 4-0. Clark got on base after earning a walk, and she was able to touch all the bases after Ava Kresak hit a two-out double to bring her home, now only down three to end the second inning.
The Tigers picked up where they had left off and kept the bats hot. A first pitch double was followed by two more hits to go up 5-1. After a sacrifice fly hit to center field, the Tigers found themselves with a 6-1 lead. Mackenzie Burns earned a one-out walk and then advanced to second after a wild pitch. With two outs against her, Tasiana Taufahema drove a single into right field to bring Burns around for the second run of the day forWheeling, but they still trailed 6-2 at the end of the third.
Kaylin Shields took to the circle in the top of the fourth, and despite walking her first batter, she made the next one swing and miss and let the defense do the rest. Kresak got on board in the bottom of the fourth with a two-strike double sent to the infield, but Wheeling could not get her the rest of the way and were still down 6-2.
The Cardinal defense gave up a double on the first pitch but reeled it back in quickly to pick up the three outs needed all in the form of flyouts. Burns was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the fifth and would end up advancing all the way to third because of a fielder's choice and a wild pitch, but she would be thrown out at home to close out the fifth inning.
Shields and the defense continued to keep Salem at bay in the top of the sixth, only surrendering a walk. The game moved to the bottom of the sixth whenever Shields struck out another batter and then she opened the offense with a double to right field. Denise Carrillo was walked and her and Shields found themselves in scoring position, hoping to get some runs on the board for their squad, but it was not meant to be.
Wheeling's defense remained tight, yielding just one hit. Burns once again earned a walk to open the bottom of the seventh. She was substituted for Eden Troxel to run the bases for her, and she managed to get herself to third after Priscilla Villarreal singled to the shortstop. Unfortunately, the Cardinal's offense ended there, and they would fall by a final score of 6-2.
Ava Kresak led the offense, going 2-3 at the plate and had one RBI. Maria Clark, Maria Harrison, KeKe Warrix, Priscilla Villarreal, Tasiana Taufahema, and Kaylin Shields all recorded one hit. Maria Clark moves to 3-4 after the loss after pitching 3.0 innings and striking out three batters. Kaylin Shields pitched 4.0 innings and also struck out three batters.
Game Two: Wheeling- 5 Salem- 0
The second game had a much slower start compared to the first one in the sense that much of the action started in the fourth inning. Mackenzie Burns recorded the first hit of the game in the first inning with a double to right field and Ava Kresak hit a single to the same spot in the third. Defense was the name of the game, but one side was soon going to change that.
Maria Clark earned a walk and then made it to second on a wild pitch. Tasiana Taufahema brought her home with a hard-hit single. Eden Troxel kept the hit train rolling with another single, but after Taufahema was called out at second and two popouts by the Cardinals, the bottom of the fourth closed with Wheeling ahead 1-0.
Salem started the fifth with a walk and then consecutive singles to load the bases up. However, three outs by the Cardinal defense prevented the Tigers from scoring. Ava Kresak was able to drive a two-out double to center, but she was called out after trying to advance to second base on the run to end the fifth inning. The Tigers got aboard with a hit to open the sixth, but the Cardinal defense took care of the next two and Shields struck out her third batter for the to give her team some momentum as they entered the bottom of the sixth.
Burns singled to start the offense off but made it second following an error by Salem. Clark got on base with a single and her pinch runner, Marissa Rodriguez, stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Then, Taufahema blasted a triple out into deep right field to clear the bases for the Cards as they went up 3-0. The Tigers made a change in the circle, but it was not enough as Troxel followed up with a triple of her own and extended the lead to four. Shields brought Troxel home with a ground out RBI. Wheeling closed the contest out in the top of the seventh and had officially shut out the Tigers in game two by a final score of 5-0.
Ava Kresak, Mackenzie Burns, Tasiana Taufahema, and Eden Troxel all went 2-3 at the plate to help the Cardinals in the win. Taufahema led with three RBIs while Troxel and Kaylin Shields each recorded an RBI. Shields earned her first win of the season in the circle after pitching all seven innings, striking out three batters, and only surrendering three hits.
The Wheeling University Softball team takes the field at the Highland Sports Complex tomorrow, March 23rd, for their Mountain East Conference (MEC) opener match against the Point Park Pioneers. Game one is scheduled for 3pm and game two is set for 5pm.
