GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – West Virginia State's softball team opened the season at Tusculum University at Red Edmonds Field and fell in both games, dropping a 10-2 run-rule shortened game, then falling in a close game two by a single run, 4-3. 

Post-Game Records

WVSU: 0-2

Tusculum: 10-0

Game one: WVSU 2, Tusculum 10 (6 inn.)

Tusculum jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three complete innings. In the top of the fourth, Emily Bechtel hit a lead-off single to short, then reached third on an Emma Pauley single to center field. Jayde Baron hit a sacrifice bunt to score Bechtel and Kaylee Byus hit into an RBI groundout to score Pauley.

Tusculum plated seven runs over the next three innings, scoring four in the fourth inning and a walkoff three run home run, ending the game after five-and-a-half innings.

Kaleigh Murphy suffered the loss after giving up seven runs in three-and-a-third. Bechtel, Pauley, and Sydney Shamblin each had a hit for State.

Game two: WVSU 3, Tusculum 4

Tusculum again jumped out to a lead to start the game, scoring twice in the bottom of the first. Shamblin hit an RBI single to score Avery Contreras in the next half-inning to cut the lead in half, 2-1.

Two more runs in the fourth inning gave the Pioneers a 4-1 lead. However, WVSU continued to chip away with Contreras crushing a double to left center to score Bechtel in the top of the sixth and Shamblin hitting an RBI groundout which scored Kylie Price's pinch runner, Morgan Burdette in the top of the seventh. However, Baron struck out in the next at bat for the third out of the seventh inning.

Contreras and Price each were 2-for-3 in the game. Alex Hill threw three-and-two-thirds innings and gave up all four runs in the loss. 

Up Next

WVSU continues the season-opening road trip with a doubleheader against UVA-Wise on Tuesday, Feb. 18. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Wise, Va.