BUCKHANNON, W.Va.– The West Virginia Wesleyan (31-14-1, 21-7 MEC) pitching staff dominated in the circle on Friday. Hannah Hudson and Abigail O’Shields surrendered just four base hits against the Concord Mountain Lions (17-33, 10-20 MEC) inside Culpepper Field. WVWC swept the Mountain Lions, winning 5-1 and 8-0.
 
Game One
Both teams struggled to get the bats going early in the contest, as neither team recorded a hit in the first two innings. The ‘Cats ended that as Lauren Niglio and Grace Hightower drilled back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the third to give the Orange and Black a 1-0 advantage.
 
WVWC exploded in the sixth when Gracie Payne started a two-out rally. Taylor Swartz and Alyssa Souders reach base to fill the bags for Destiny Alvarado. Alvarado drove a hard single through the left side and plated Morgan Norris, who entered to run for Payne. With a 2-0 advantage and the bases still loaded, Kiley Turner stepped up and singled to left-center field. After two runs had scored, Turner made a heads-up play to get in a pickle, allowing Alvarado to come around from first and make it 5-0.
 
The Mountain Lions registered their lone hit in the top of the seventh when Hudson surrendered a lead-off homer to make it 5-1.
 
Hudson (17-4) was dominant in the circle on her way to her league’s best 17th win. Hudson tossed a complete game and struck out four Mountain Lions while only surrendering one hit in the 5-1 victory.
 
Game Two
Abigail O’Shields got the nod for the Lady Bobcats in game two. O’Shields held the Mountain Lions in check the entire game allowing just three baserunners. Both teams were held scoreless until the fifth inning when WVWC would do all their scoring.
 
Hightower would single to left to lead off the inning. Molly Osborne would reach base on an error by the third baseman. With runners on first and second, Ally Robinson stepped up to the dish and clobbered a three-run homer to left-center to give WVWC a 3-0 lead.
 
Swartz followed up with a single to left. A Norris walk and Alvarado single to center loaded the bases for Kiley Turner. Turner singled to right field to bring around Swartz and give the Lady ‘Cats a 4-0 advantage. Souders delivered a sacrifice fly to right field to add another run to the board. Payne would deliver a walk-off three-run homer over the centerfield fence with runners on the corners to bring the run-rule into effect and end the game.