Buckhannon, WV. - After two close losses yesterday to Davis & Elkins, Wheeling again was bested by one run in each of their games against West Virginia Wesleyan. The Wheeling offense provided 21 hits on the day, out hitting West Virginia Wesleyan in each game, but 6 total errors on the day proved to be too much to overcome. 

Game 1: West Virginia Wesleyan 9 - Wheeling 8
Wheeling scored in five of their seven offensive innings to total 8 runs, propelled by Madison Kay, Maria Clark, Tasiana Taufahema, and Rayn Casassa who had two hits each. Pinch hitting also came up huge for the Cardinals. Mackenzie Burns and Brook Sanders each had one pinch hit at bat and each converted with a hit in their opportunity. 

Each of Wheeling's first four batters reached base to start the game. Madison Kay started the game off with a double and Kaylin Shields walked. Kay advanced to third during Shields at bat and Shields stole second after her walk to give Maria Clark two runners in scoring position. Clark took advantage of it and got two RBI's. Tasiana Taufahema singled, moving Clark to third but the Cardinals were retired in order after that. There were then back to back errors in the bottom of the first, which made it tough on pitcher Kaylin Shields. The Bobcats would score two, to even the score, although only one of them was earned. 

The top of the second Wheeling again had production from the first few batters of the inning. Rayn Casassa drew a full count walk and Marissa Rodriguez advanced Casassa to second via sacrifice bunt. Madison Kay singled, advancing Casassa to third. Kay stole and was thrown out, but that allowed Casassa to score on the throw to second. Wheeling was able to put up a scoreless second but were not able to score themselves in the third. Errors were costly again in the bottom of the third where West Virginia Wesleyan scored 5 runs. Shields recorded outs on two of the first three batters in the inning only allowing one run, but an error on the fourth batter would result in 4 more runs scored in the inning, none of which were earned. 

Each team scratched across a run in the fourth and fifth innings. Casassa, Rodriguez, Kay, Shields, and Clark all reached base, giving Wheeling a 3 run sixth inning to bring them within one run, but it wasn't quite enough as they were blanked in the top of the seventh. 

Game 2: West Virginia Wesleyan 2 - Wheeling 1
Game two followed a different storyline but the same themes prevailed. Ryleigh Peters pitched an extremely efficient gem game two throwing 6 innings with 5 total base runners, only 1 earned run, on an unbelievable 47 total pitches thrown. KeKe Warrix had 3 hits, Rayn Casassa had 2, and Mackenzie Burns had 2 as well including a solo home run. 

Warrix singled in the top of the first but was the only Wheeling batter to reach base. A Wheeling error allowed an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Mackenzie Burns then got her team on the board with her solo shot to lead off the top of the second and then it was scoreless six half innings from each team to follow. KeKe Warrix and Rayn Casassa had a hit each in the third and fourth innings while Ryleigh Peters did not give up a hit in either inning. Warrix singled again in the fifth but was unable to score. Wesleyan played small ball to get what would be the winning run to cross the plate in the bottom of the fifth. Wheeling had two base runners in each of the six and seventh innings but were unable to bring them home. 

Wheeling will look to bounce back Wednesday April 22nd  in their double header against rival West Liberty at JB Chambers I-470 complex with games scheduled for 3 PM and 5 PM.