WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The West Virginia Wesleyan (4-3) softball team began their Florida spring break trip with two wins in three games.
The Lady Bobcats knocked off Clarion 11-0 on Saturday (March 5) and Bloomfield on Sunday (March 6). The Lady Bobcats dropped a game to Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday.
WVWC 11, Clarion 0 (Five Innings)
The Lady Bobcats got on the board first in the second inning following a Destiny Alvarado sacrifice fly that scored Alli Robinson. The Wesleyan offense exploded with eight runs in the top of the 4th inning. Kiley Turner sparked the inning with a one-out single. Alvarado knocked a base hit to center field to put runners at first and second. A Clarion wild pitch advanced the runners into scoring position. Kaitlyn Rizor drove in Paije Bragg on a single to give WVWC a 2-0 lead. In the next at-bat, Lauren Niglio drove in Alvarado on a fielder’s choice that put the ‘Cats up three. Molly Osborne increased the Wesleyan lead to five after a two-RBI base hit to center. A Morgan Norris hit by pitch loaded the bases. Robinson smacked a grand slam to complete the huge offensive inning for the Lady Bobcats. Robinson added a double to the box score in her big day at the plate.
In the fifth inning, Bella Posey singled with one out. Jenna Gomez collected her first hit as a Lady Bobcat to put runners at first and second with two outs. Freshman Alyssa Souders delivered with a two-out single to score Posey. Gomez scored on an error to give WVWC an 11-run cushion.
Hannah Hudson dominated in the circle. Hudson pitched 5.0 scoreless innings and sat down 11 Golden Eagles. The senior hurler only surrendered one hit and cruised to her second victory of the season.
Southwest Minn. State 11, WVWC 0 (Five Innings)
The Mustangs generated four runs in the top of the first inning. The Lady Bobcat offense responded with two hits in the bottom of the first. Grace Hightower and Norris drilled hits in the first frame. WVWC could not plate any runs in the opening inning.
SMSU added four additional runs in the third inning to go up eight runs. The Mustangs scored two more runs in the fifth inning. The Bobcats fell 10-0 in five innings.
WVWC 6, Bloomfield 0
Hightower led off the game with a base knock to center field and advanced to second base on a passed ball. Norris placed a single to left and put the runners at the corners. The Lady ‘Cats pulled off a double-steal and Hightower got the Lady Bobcats on the board.
Taylor Swartz produced an infield single with one out in the fourth inning. Alvarado walked and a Bloomfield wild pitch placed the runners at second and third. Turner delivered a sacrifice fly to drive in Swartz. Alvarado scored on a wild pitch to put Wesleyan up 3-0.
The Lady Bobcats manufactured a run in the fifth inning. Osborne singled to left field with two outs. Norris walked and Robinson was hit by a pitch. Swartz contributed a clutch two-out knock to give Wesleyan a four-run advantage after five innings.
WVWC added two insurance runs in the seventh inning from Swartz’s second RBI knock and an Alvarado RBI single.
Kendall Stoffel tossed a complete-game shutout and punched out five Bloomfield hitters. The freshman from Saint Albans, W.Va., surrendered two hits in seven innings of work and collected her second win of the season.
Up Next
WVWC softball is slated to take on Seton Hill at 9 a.m. and Mercyhurst at 11:15 a.m. on Monday in Winter Haven, Fla.
