INSTITUTE, W.VA. — The Yellow Jacket softball team took two from northern division foe Wheeling University 11-3 and 4-1. Kasey Murphy returned to the circle after a night off and captured the game one victory while Autumn Thompson took charge of the game two victory. WVSU combined the two games for 15 runs and 20 hits.
Game 1: WVSU 11, WHE 3 - F/5
WVSU put a four spot on the scoreboard in the opening inning on the back of four hits and two Wheeling miscues. Emma Ruth hit a bases loaded single to the center fielder, who then misplayed the ball and cleared the bases. Murphy, Lindsay Phares and Thompson all scored. Ruth scored a couple batters later but the inning closed when Paige Scruggs was thrown out at the plate.
Wheeling plated two runs in the second, then another in the third to come to within a run. In the bottom of the third, Murphy scored on an Emily Moore single. Scruggs knocked in Ruth. Kerigan Moore hit a two out single to right-center field and knocked in Abby Loyd who pinch ran for Emily Moore.
Phares hit a lead-off double in the bottom of the fourth and was knocked in on a sac fly by Ruth. Scruggs hit a two out single to left field and scored Murphy, putting the Jackets within two runs of an early exit.
After another scoreless inning for the Cardinals in the top of the fifth, Hannah Wilson got aboard after being plunked on the first pitch of the inning. Thompson reached third base after the Wheeling center fielder dropped a fly ball and later scored on a Phares double, ending game one.
Every Yellow Jacket batter got a hit, except Wilson who drew a walk and was hit by a pitch. Phares went 3-for-4 to go with the game ending RBI. Murphy fanned three and gave up two free passes en route to the win. As a team, on offense WVSU were 14-20 on advancement opportunities. On defense, WVSU didn't commit a single error.
Game 2: WVSU 4, WHE 1
WVSU again scored four unanswered runs to open game two, this time spread amongst the first three innings of the game. Thompson hit a one-out double to center field then scored when Phares stole second. Wheeling attempted a set-play on the first base steal that went awry and allowed the opening run of the game.
Wheeling managed an infield single in the top of the second but was left stranded when Thompson forced her Cardinal counterpart to whiff.
Another error by the Cardinals put the lead off batter Moore aboard. She scored on another set-play attempt that went into the outfield on a Tori Lambert steal attempt.
The third inning for the Jackets looked like it would be quick when the first two batters were promptly sat back down on a first pitch line out and an 0-1 fly out. Murphy hit a two-out single, stole second, then scored on an Emily Moore single to left field. Lambert then knocked in Ruth on a two-out comebacker base hit. Lambert was the last batter the Wheeling pitcher faced. The new pitcher threw two pitches and forced Mendoza to ground out and left the bags juiced.
Wheeling plated a run in the fourth but couldn't get any closer. The lone runner was cut down trying to swipe third in the fifth inning. A two-out bloop single in the sixth was mishandled and allowed the runner to take second, but she was stranded and the Cardinals went down in order in the seventh to close out the game and complete the sweep.
Thompson fanned two and allowed a walk, but let her defense do most of the work, forcing 10 fly outs and eight ground outs. She also went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Lambert also went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
WVSU returns to Lady Jackets Field on Saturday, April 2 for an MEC doubleheader against Concord. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 pm. WVSU knocked off the Mountain Lions earlier this season in Athens, 9-1 and 4-3. Live stats and streaming will be available.
