Charleston, W.Va. — The University of Charleston softball team secured a conference doubleheader sweep over West Liberty University on Sunday afternoon, taking game one 3-0 before holding on for a 5-3 win in game two at the UC Softball Field.
Game 1
The Basics:
Location: Charleston, W.Va. (UC Softball Field at the Watt Powell Annex)
Score: Charleston 3, West Liberty 0
Records: Charleston (23-10, 7-2 MEC), West Liberty (9-17, 3-4 MEC)
How It Happened:
Charleston opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning after Danielle Pici singled up the middle and Aubriana Espinoza followed with a base hit to put runners in scoring position. With the bases loaded, Bianca Polistina reached on a fielder's choice, bringing home Espinoza to give UC a 1-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles added to their advantage in the fourth inning, capitalizing on defensive miscues by West Liberty. Kaleigh Serra reached on an error before Alex Hurley laid down a sacrifice bunt and also reached on an error, putting two runners in scoring position. Ella Zucchero delivered the big hit, singling through the left side to score both runners and extend the lead to 3-0.
That was all the offense Charleston needed as Addison Mass dominated in the circle, allowing just one hit while striking out 13 batters across seven shutout innings to secure the win.
GAME 2
The Basics:
Location: Charleston, W.Va. (UC Softball Field at the Watt Powell Annex)
Score: Charleston 5, West Liberty 3
Records: Charleston (24-10, 8-2 MEC), West Liberty (9-18, 3-5 MEC)
How It Happened:
Charleston jumped out early in game two, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning after Ella Zucchero tripled to open the frame and later scored on a fielder's choice. Danielle Pici followed with an RBI single to bring home another run.
The Golden Eagles broke the game open in the second inning with three more runs. Alex Hurley and Bianca Polistina both reached base before Zucchero drew a walk to load the bases. Maddie Entler delivered an RBI single, and a wild pitch allowed another run to score. Kayla Moran added an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 5-0.
West Liberty attempted a late comeback in the sixth inning with a solo home run, cutting the deficit to 5-1. The Hilltoppers continued to push in the seventh, scoring two runs on a series of hits and a Charleston error to make it 5-3, but the Golden Eagles held on to complete the sweep.
Cali Masters went the distance in the circle, striking out 12 while allowing three runs to earn the win.
Up Next:
Charleston returns to action on April 3rd for a conference doubleheader against Glenville State University, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.
