SALEM, W.Va. -- The West Virginia State University softball team defeated West Liberty, 4-0, in the winner's bracket on Saturday to move directly to the championship game of the 2021 MEC Softball Tournament. The Hilltoppers avoided elimination by beating Frostburg State, 2-1, in the play-in game later in the day. The teams will meet for the championship tomorrow at 1 p.m. with West Virginia State needing one win and West Liberty needing two wins for the title.

The Yellow Jackets had to battle to defeat Notre Dame (Ohio) and Frostburg State on the first day of the tournament. They fared much better against the North Division champions, West Liberty, on the second day of the tournament. West Virginia State was propelled to victory by junior Kasey Murphy  who threw a complete game shutout while going 3-for-3 at the plate with a homerun. She gave up a season-low two hits, allowed one walk, and had three strikeouts in the circle.

In the bottom of the first, the inning was extended when Paige Scruggs reached base on a fielding error by the left fielder and ended up on second. A second fielding error was committed by the second baseman in the next at bat that allowed Scruggs to cross home plate, 1-0.

A second run was added by the Yellow Jackets in the bottom of the second. Lindsey Phares and Kasey Murphy both singled to start off the half frame. Emily Moore then walked to load the bases with no outs. Emele Clark ended up being the culprit for the run scored when she drew a walk with one out and the bases still juiced, 2-0.

Murphy led off in the bottom off the fourth and sent a ball flying over the fence in left center to provide her own run support, 3-0. Danielle Lebsock followed up with a double into center field and then moved to third on a ground ball in the next at bat. WIth two outs, Sarah Barrett singled into right center to bring home Lebsock, 4-0.

Murphy's only mishaps came when she hit a batter in the first, gave up a single in the second, and allowed a leadoff double in the seventh. In the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, she retired the side in order. Murphy only needed 85 pitches to get the job done against West Liberty in the end.

Click here for complete coverage of the 2021 MEC Softball Tournament.