Canton, OH. - After having last week's midweek contest postponed due to scheduling conflicts, the Wheeling University Softball team (7-27, 2-10) returned to the normal schedule Wednesday. They traveled to Canton, Ohio for a midweek non-conference doubleheader with Malone, and the pitching shined in the circle throughout the day. However, the Pioneers were able to squeak out a little more offense than the Cardinals, with Wheeling falling by scores of 5-3 and 2-0.
Game One: Malone 5, Wheeling 3
In game one, the Cardinals turned to the leader of their pitching staff when they sent sophomore Kaylin Shields to the circle. The Pioneers would get to the sophomore in the bottom of the first, with an RBI single by Mia Rose and a double by Jessie Crookston bringing in two runs to give Malone a 2-0 early lead. However, Shields was able to bear down over the next three innings, allowing just one hit and two total base runners during that span. Wheeling would get her the first runs of support in the top of the fourth, with Shields helping herself out to get things started. She would take a 1-1 pitch and tripled down the right field line to put the tying run 60-feet from the plate. Maria Clark would pick her up with an RBI single and the Cardinals cut into the Malone lead at 2-1.
Shields responded with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth inning, and the Cardinals would just keep on swinging in the top of the fifth. It would once again get started with a triple, this time courtesy of Denise Carrillo, and two batters later, Keke Warrix would come to the plate. Warrix would lay down a bunt and reached on a fielder's choice as Carillo slid in ahead of the tag of the Malone catcher. Warrix, who had already rounded first, would end up advancing to third on a throwing error by the catcher, and Wheeling tied the game at 2-2. They still had a runner in scoring position with two outs and Shields would give her team their first lead of the day. She laid down a bunt and was able to beat the throw while Warrix came home to score to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead heading to the bottom of the fifth.
Shields would come back to the circle in the bottom of the fifth, but the Pioneers would get the bats going once again, putting up three runs in the inning. The big blow was a two-RBI single from Masyn Baker, and Malone was once again back out in front 5-3 heading to the sixth inning. Wheeling would put together one more threat in the top of the sixth after Mackenzie Burns singled to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt would move her to scoring position, but she would be stranded their to end the inning. A 1-2-3 Cardinal top of the 7th would round out the night, and the Cardinals fell 5-3. Despite the loss, it was a strong performance in the circle for Shields, who threw 6.0 innings allowing five runs, three earned, on six hits while walking three and striking out eight batters in the contest.
Shields would also lead the effort at the plate, going 2-4 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored in the effort. It was Shields's first two hits since March 29th, breaking a 1-7 streak that spanned six games. Maria Clark would follow behind her, going 2-3 with an RBI on the day, while Mackenzie Burns was the other Cardinal with multiple hits, finishing 2-3. Denise Carillo would add the final extra base hit for the Cardinals, finishing 1-2 with a triple and a run scored.
Game Two: Malone 2, Wheeling 0
After seeing a pitcher's duel in game one, Wheeling and Malone would battle it out once again in the circle in game two. It would be Masyn Baker for the Pioneers against Ryleigh Peters for the Cardinals, and both pitchers would throw 1-2-3 innings in the first. Wheeling would be the first team in the hit column, courtesy of a Mackenzie Burns single in the top of the second, and she would move to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Carillo. Riley Pearlman would walk to put runners on first and second, but the Cardinals were unable to bring anyone around. Malone would be the first on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning, with two Cardinal errors following a single to load the bases with nobody out. It would be a two-RBI double by Aricka Young that got them on the board and the Pioneers would take a 2-0 lead.
Both teams would go 1-2-3 in their halves of the third inning, and the Cardinals would get their next base runner in the top of the fourth. Maria Clark would single to start the inning, and a Burns single followed to put runners on first and second with nobody out. However, a double play would get the first two outs of the inning, and the score would remain 2-0 heading to the bottom of the fourth. After allowing those two runs in the bottom of the second, Peters would lock in allowing just two more Pioneer base runners the rest of the night. She allowed a one-out single in the bottom of the fourth, and a one-out single in the bottom of the sixth, stranding the runner each time. With the score still sitting at 2-0, the Cardinals would put up one more comeback attempt as they came to the plate for the top of the seventh.
It would once again be Burns who started things off, reaching on a lead-off single for her third hit of the night. Eden Troxel would come in to pinch run, and a sacrifice bunt from Carillo would move her into scoring position. However, a groundout and a strikeout would bring the threat to an end, and the Cardinals would fall 2-0. Peters would put together her best start of the season so far, throwing 6.0 innings allowing two unearned runs on four hits while striking out four. She produced two 1-2-3 innings on the day, and did not allow an extra-base hit throughout the day. She was efficient throughout the night, needing just 89 pitches to get through 6.0 innings, as she helped keep the Cardinals in the game throughout the night.
On the offensive side, it was Mackenzie Burns leading the way going 3-3 with three singles in the effort. She would be the catalyst for three different innings for Wheeling, with two of her three hits being lead-off singles. Maria Clark would add a hit in front of her, going 1-3 in the effort, while Marissa Rodriguez added a 1-2 effort at the plate to round out the day.
The Wheeling University Softball team returns to action on Saturday, April 11th, when they host Concord with first pitch at 4 PM.
