INSTITUTE, W.Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan (19-10-1, 9-3) softball team split a doubleheader at West Virginia State (15-13, 12-4) on Sunday afternoon at Lady Jackets Field.
 
Inside Game One
Morgan Norris cranked a double in the first inning but was stranded in scoring position. The Yellow Jackets struck first after a two-out RBI double. Lauren Niglio led off the third with an infield hit and advanced to third. The Lady Bobcats could not bring her home.
 
Alli Robinson smacked her first hit of the day to start the fourth inning and Destiny Alvarado singled to right. WVWC stranded Robinson at third and the game remained 1-0. Niglio produced her second hit of the game to lead off the fifth inning. The Yellow Jackets added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run home run.
 
Norris and Robinson started the sixth inning with a pair of singles and both turned in multi-hit games. Grace Hightower singled in the top of the seventh inning. The Lady ‘Cats could not plate any runs and WVSU took game one 3-0.
 
Hannah Hudson went the distance and turned in a quality start in the circle, going six innings and punching out five without surrendering a walk. It was Hudson’s 12th start this season allowing three earned runs or less.
 
Inside Game Two
The Lady Bobcats got the offense going in the third inning. Alyssa Souders got things rolling with a base hit to right field. Souders swiped second base and advanced to third with two outs. Molly Osborne knocked in Souders with a two-out RBI single to right field. Norris brought Osborne home with an RBI double to left. Robinson stepped up and hit a towering home run to left center field to give the Bobcats their fourth run of the inning. The Lady ‘Cats were not finished as Taylor Swartz singled and advanced to second on a throwing error. Alvarado drove Swartz home and concluded the WVWC five-run inning.
 
That was all the run support hurler Abigail O’Shields needed. The junior from Dagsboro, Del., only gave up one hit and punched out six Yellow Jackets. O’Shields picked up her sixth win of the 2022 season.
 
WVWC added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Alvarado connected a double to lead off the inning. Payton Campbell pinch hit and scored Alvarado on a hit to right field. The Lady Bobcats cruised to a 6-0 game two victory.
 
Up Next
The Lady ‘Cats were slated to conclude their road trip on Monday versus Charleston with a doubleheader.