Charleston, W.Va.- Golden Eagles fall in game one, but rally back in game two to defeat the Hilltoppers 

The Basics
Location: Watt Powell Annex
Score: G1: UC 0, WLU 6, G2: UC 5, WLU 3
Records: UC 14-10 (6-2 MEC),  WLU 16-10 (6-2 MEC)

How it Happened

Game One
The opening game of the twin bill was a pitcher's duel between UC's Dani Bauer and WLU's Makenzie Amend. There was nothing but zeroes on the scoreboard until the sixth, when West Liberty picked up five runs in the inning to set them up for a 6-0 victory.

Bauer only allowed three hits until the sixth frame, but was touched up after a leadoff looping single by Riley Conkle. Annie Patterson jumped on a pitch and drove it over the left field fence to open up a 2-0 lead for West Liberty. The Hilltoppers tacked on three more runs in the inning after a couple of UC errors and some timely hitting. A seventh inning homer by Patterson would close out the scoring, 6-0.

Bauer would suffer the loss as UC could not crack the scoreboard. She allowed eleven hits, four earned runs, walked one, and struck out five Hilltoppers. Hannah Rose and Reagan West were the only UC hitters to pick up hits in the contest.

Game Two
Charleston built an early 4-0 lead after three innings, with West Liberty cutting into the lead with three of their own in the fourth. UC added an insurance run in the sixth, making the final score 5-3.

The Golden Eagles started off the game in the same fashion as game one… a hard single laced to center by Hannah Rose and promptly stole second base. After two outs, the script changed a bit from game one. This take had Gracie Donato come up with a hard single off of the second baseman to score Rose from second, giving UC a 1-0 lead.

The Golden Eagles would extend their advantage in the bottom of the third inning. Carlie Odejewski singled to left field to open things up. Hannah Rose would pick up her second hit in the game with a beautifully placed bunt and would steal her second base on the next pitch.

Kendal Marshall followed with an RBI single, sending home Odejewski for UC's third run and advancing Rose to third base. After Marshall stole second base, Allysa Lake would drive in her team-leading 22nd run with a deep fly to right field, scoring Rose and moving Marshall to third base. A ground out to second base by Donato for her second RBI would score Marshall and close out the scoring for the inning. 

Having only faced two batters over the minimum through three innings, Morgan Hoppe was sailing along. In the fourth, however, she ran into some trouble. A leadoff single by Annie Patterson would kick things off for the Hilltoppers. A sac bunt and then an RBI double down the left field line by Kieran Johnson would score the first run for West Lib. With the outfield playing in on Kayla Mancuso who is known for her short game, she squirted a ball to straight away center that rolled to the fence resulting in an RBI triple, but Mancuso would also score on the play as an errant throw from center to get the Hilltoppers back to within one run, 4-3.

Charleston's Mahea Haegele would enter the game in relief for Hoppe in the fifth inning to set down the side in order. She faced her first jam in the sixth as a leadoff double, and a passed ball put the tying run on third base with no outs and the Hilltoppers' clean up hitter coming to the plate. Haegele settled down and retired the next two hitters on grounders to first base and another back to the circle. A fly ball to right field extinguished the threat to keep the score in favor of UC, 4-3.

Charleston would look to add some insurance in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Olivia Pelfrey launched a missile to right center field for a one-out double. After a strikeout, Brionna Bowman came up clutch with a two-out RBI single to score pinch runner Jade Espinosa from second for that ever-important insurance run.

Haegele would face little resistance to close out the game for UC to pick up her first save of the season. She pitched three innings of two-hit relief. Morgan Hoppe earned the victory after four innings of work, allowing five hits and two earned runs.

Up Next:
The Golden Eagles will continue MEC play this weekend as they host Glenville State on Saturday, April 2 and Concord on Sunday, April 3. Each day's doubleheader will have a 1:00pm start.