Wheeling, W. Va. - After playing through a 20-game non-conference schedule, the time had come for the Mountain East Conference (MEC) schedule to start for the Wheeling University Softball team (6-16, 1-1). The Cardinals were back at The Highlands Sports Complex outdoor field for their conference opening doubleheader against Point Park, with the Cardinals splitting the day on the diamond. They would earn a 13-4 five-inning win in the opener, and followed with a 9-6 loss in the second half to start their MEC schedule at 1-1.
Game One: Wheeling 13, Point Park 4
The opening game of the day was defined by offense, with both teams getting on the board in the first inning. Kaylin Shields would get the start for the Cardinals and, after surrendering a run in the first inning on a two-out double, got her bats to the plate. They would reward her as Ava Kresak got things started with a one out single before stealing second and moving to third on a wild pitch. It would bring Mackenzie Burns to the plate and she lifted a two-run home run to left field and the Cardinals would take a 2-1 advantage. Tasiana Taufahema would draw a walk and was replaced by Maria Clark on a Fielder's Choice. Eden Troxel and Kaylin Shields would follow with back-to-back singles to load the bases, and Grace Mummery would bring two home with a single of her own to make it a 4-1 game. Keke Warring singled home Shields, and Maria Harrison singled home Mummery to give Wheeling a 6-1 lead heading to the second.
In the bottom of the second, the Cardinal bats just kept swinging as Taufahema started things with a one-out double and moved to thrid on a wild pitch. Clark would bring her home with a single and the Cardinals extended the lead to 7-1 after two innings. In the third, the Cardinals would get things over the eight-run mark, as Harrison drew a one-out walks and an error allowed Kresak to reach. Burns drew a walk to load the bases and with two outs Clark stepped up to the plate. She would come through with a bases clearing double that got the Cardinals to a 10-1 Wheeling lead. After giving up the first inning run, Shields settled in throwing back-to-back zeros before a Pioneer run in the top of the fourth made it a 10-2 game heading to the bottom half of the inning.
Wheeling wasn't done adding on in the bottom of the fourth, when Mummery drew a walk, followed by a Warrix single to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Two batters later, Kresak would strike out and reach on a error to load the bases before Burns stepped up with the bases loaded and one out. She would draw a walk to bring home the first run of the inning and Clark would come through with a two-out two RBI single to extend the Cardinal's lead to 13-2. They entered the top of the fifth needing just three outs to enact the eight-run rule. Sheilds would allow a home run to make it a 13-4 game, but she got a pair of strikeouts to end the day. Shields would end up throwing a complete-game 5.0 innings while allowing four runs on five hits while walking three and striking out eight as she picked up her second win of the season.
Leading the effort for the Cardinals was Maria Clark, who finished 3-4 with a double, six RBI, and a run scored in the effort. She would help the Cardinals breakout early, and secured the eight-run rule in the fifth to round out the day. Mackenzie Burns would finish 1-2 with a home run, two rBI, and two runs scored, while Eden Troxel added a 1-2 effort with a pair of walks, an RBI, and one run scored. They would look for the sweep of their conference opener as they headed into game two.
Game Two: Point Park 9, Wheeling 6
After a big offensive push in game one, it was Point Park who jumped out to an early lead in the second game of the day. A lead-off home run from Mia Arndt got them on the board in the top of the first, and a double from Payton Haller would make it a 2-0 game after an inning and a half. Ryleigh Peters got the start and through 1.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out two. Kaylin Shields would come on in relief and got the final two outs to send the Cardinal bats to the plate. They would get on the board in the bottom of the second, when Maria Clark started things with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch.
Grace Mummery would double home the Cardinals first run of the game, and Eden Troxel followed with a double of her own to make it a 2-2 game. Prisicilla Villareal would follow with a single and steal of second and Maria Harrison would draw a one-out walk to put runners at first and third with one out. Ava Kresak would step in and single to center to bring home both runs, and give the Cardinals a 4-2 lead heading to the third inning. Both teams would be held off the scoreboard in the thrid, but Point Park cut into the lead with an RBI single in the top of the fourth to make it a 4-3 game. The Cardinals were looking for insurance and got one run each in the bottom of the fifth and bottom of the sixth innings to add on to their lead.
The bottom of the sixth would start with a ground out and a flyout, before Eden Troxel reached on a two-out double to put a runner in scoring position with two outs. Villareal would step in and brought her home with a two-out double to make it a 5-3 Cardinal lead. Shields followed with a 1-2-3 top of the sixth and the Cardinals would add on in the bottom of the sixth. Maria Harrison would start things with a walk and moved up to second on a groundout to put a runner in scoring position. Tasiana Taufahema would step up with two outs and lined a single into left field that brought home Villareal and made it a 6-3 Wheeling lead. The Cardinals would look for three more outs to secure the win, but Point Park had another idea. They would tack on six runs in the top of the seventh, flipping the scoreboard and making it a 9-6 Point Park lead. Wheeling would put two runners on in the bottom half of the inning, before falling 9-6 to round out the day.
Leading the effort for Wheeling was Ava Kresak, who finished 3-5 with two RBI and a stolen base in the game. She would cap off the big four-run inning for Wheeling in the bottom of the second, helping the Cardinals get out in front. Eden Troxel would add a season-best four hit day, going 4-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Priscilla Villareal, Grace Mummery, and Tasiana Taufahema each added an RBI to round out the day.
The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Wednesday, March 25th, when they travel to West Liberty with first pitch at 3 PM.
