Wheeling, W. Va- The Wheeling University Softball team (9-35), (4-18) battled it out with their rivals from the north, the West Liberty Hilltoppers. Both games were tight all the way through, and it resulted in the Cardinals earning the 2-1 walk-off win in game one. Despite this, West Liberty outlasted Wheeling in game two by a final score of 4-3 in extra innings. Taylor Walsh totaled three hits from both games and became the hero in game one to topple the Hilltoppers.
Game One: Wheeling- 2 West Liberty- 1
The first game of the evening was a defensive deadlock that made hits hard to come by as each team recorded just five hits. The Hilltoppers doubled and then a sacrifice fly to the outfield allowed them to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The next piece of action was not recorded until the bottom of the third when Taylor Walsh picked up the first Cardinal hit of the game for her squad. However, the offense could not bring her around the diamond.
Despite surrendering two hits in the top of the fifth, the Cardinals stranded two Hilltoppers on base and used that momentum to their advantage in the bottom half of the inning. It started with KeKe Warrix hitting a single, but she was awarded second base after being interfered with by the first baseman. Grace Mummery tapped a hit to right field that put runners on the corners, and then she stole second to put two Cardinals in scoring position. Eden Troxel was next, and even though the book did not give her a hit, the contact she made with the ball allowed Warrix enough time to beat the throw to the plate to tie the game at one.
It remained tightly contested until Wheeling was up to bat in the bottom of the seventh. Warrix was eager with her swing, but the catcher was unable to corral the ball, therefore she was safe at first base. Troxel moved her teammate up with a hit to the shortstop and then they both advanced to scoring position after the Hilltopper pitcher had trouble handling the ball hit by Brook Sanders. With the bases loaded, Taylor Walsh smacked the ball to the shortstop; she bobbled the ball and Warrix raced to home plate to give the Cardinals the 2-1 walk-off win in game one.
Eden Troxel went 2-3 with an RBI to lead the Cardinals offense. KeKe Warrix recorded both of Wheeling's runs and batted in one runner. Grace Mummery and Talor Walsh one hit each. Kaylin Shields pitched 7.0 innings and racked up three strikeouts while giving up five hits and an earned run.
Game Two: West Liberty- 4 Wheeling- 3
The second game of the evening played out a lot like game one in terms of closeness and intensity, but the offense for both sides produced significantly more. After West Liberty quickly took a 2-0 lead, Wheeling answered back in the bottom of the third. Rayn Casassa was down 0-2 in the count when she launched the ball into right field and turned it into a lead-off triple. Mikaela Holp followed her with a hit to put runners on first and third. Holp attempted to steal second but was caught stealing. However, the distraction gave Casassa enough time to score, making it a 2-1 ballgame.
Taylor Walsh got a hit in the fourth and Grace Mummery made contact in the fifth, but the Cardinals' offense produced on the scoreboard in the sixth. After Kaylin Shields singled, she was replaced by Ava Kresak on the basepaths but was caught stealing for the first out of the inning. Mackenzie Burns still made the most of the at-bat and reached first base following an error by the West Liberty catcher. Marissa Rodriguez took her place and ended up scoring after Walsh hit a double into deep left field to tie the game at two.
The teams were still tied by the end of the seventh, so extra innings were required. West Liberty made the most of their half of the eighth by scoring two runs on three hits to go up 4-2 by the time it was Wheeling's turn to bat. The Cardinals started with a lead-off walk to get Shields on aboard. Burns put the bat to the ball and drove a hit into right field to get two runners on the basepaths. Walsh worked a walk, and all of a sudden, the Cardinals had loaded the bases. KeKe Warrix ended up bringing Shields in to make it 4-3, but that ended up being the final piece of action as West Liberty avoided the sweep and took game two.
Taylor Walsh went 2-3 at the plate and recorded an RBI and a walk. Grace Mummery recorded two hits as well. Kaylin Shields, Mackenzie Burns, Rayn Casassa, and Mikaela Holp all registered one hit. Ryleigh Peters pitched 7.1 innings and struck out two batters.
The Wheeling University Softball team will be back in action on Saturday, April 25,2026, when they host the Frostburg State Bobcats at the JB Chambers I-470 Ballparks. Game one is scheduled for 1pm and game two is scheduled for 3pm.
