BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan softball team extended their winning streak to seven games with a sweep of Salem on Tuesday evening. The Bobcats won the first game 3-1 and shutout the Tigers in the second game 2-0.
Game 1
Hallie Dinklocker kicked the game off for Wesleyan with a bleeder down the left field line that she turned into a double. Taylor Swartz followed up with a single that moved Dinklocker to third. With a walk by Morgan Norris, Alli Robinson had the bases loaded and converted, ripping a single to left to bring home two. The scoring would stop there as Andie Dizon flied to right and the Lady Bobcats were doubled up on the next play.
In the bottom of the third, Wesleyan added a one run on an Andie Dizon one-run single up the middle. With one out, a liner to the third baseman doubled up the Lady Bobcats as she then threw it to second, ending the inning.
Salem started the top of the 5th with a warning track double down the left field line. After a sac bunt and a walk, the Tigers put runners on the corners and took advantage of this, finding the hole between third and short to score a run to make it 3-1 through 4 ½ innings of play. Abigail O’Shields closed out her strong performance with two popups and a strikeout as Wesleyan took the first game 3-1.
Kaydee Anderson and Meladie LaRance both recorded two hits for the Tigers and Anderson had the lone RBI. Meesha Arroyo was the losing pitcher after going just 2 1/3 innings giving up three runs (all earned) on seven hits and walking one. Emily Villar pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief, only giving up one hit and striking out one.
Robinson and Norris both had two hits apiece as well and Robinson picked up two runs-batted-in. Andie had an RBI for the Lady Bobcats also. O’Shields went seven innings, allowing one run (earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Game 2
Dizon started the bottom of the second with a double over the center fielder’s head and was brought home on a single to right by Savannah O’Shields, giving Wesleyan a 1-0 lead after two innings.
The Lady Bobcat offense added another run in the bottom half of the third, scoring a run on an one-run single to left from Dizon. Salem put two runners in scoring position with two outs in the top of the fourth, leaving scoreless on a groundout to the left side of the infield.
Hannah Hudson took the circle for Wesleyan in the sixth inning after Kendall Stoffel’s five innings of two-hit ball. A pair of two-out walks and a single loaded the bases for Salem in the top of the sixth. Hudson escaped the late jam, elevating one in the zone to get the swing and miss strikeout. The top of the seventh was nothing like the sixth as the Tigers went down in order as Wesleyan captured their 14th shutout of the season.
Sierra Chapa, Meesha Arroyo and Victoria Castro all had one hit apiece for Salem. Andrea Gallegos pitched six innings, giving up two runs (unearned) on seven hits and three walks.
Dizon was the only Bobcat to have two or more hits and she also had an RBI. Savannah O’Shields added a hit and the other RBI for Wesleyan. Stoffel picked up her 13th win of the season, going five innings and only surrendering two hits and walking one. Hudson pitched two innings of no-run relief while striking out three.
Up Next For The Lady Bobcats
Wesleyan heads to Institute on Friday for a doubleheader with West Virginia State (1 and 3 p.m.) and then to Charleston (noon and 2 p.m.) for a big matchup in the Capital City on Saturday.
