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BUCKHANNON — West Virginia Wesleyan softball split a home doubleheader with West Virginia State on Saturday afternoon, rallying for a 6-5 walk-off win in Game 1 before falling 5-1 in Game 2.
West Virginia State struck first with a three-run top of the first, powered by an Olivia Bell three-run double, but the Lady Bobcats answered in the bottom half when Jaelyn Riley walked, stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and came home on Reagan Winn’s RBI groundout.
Wesleyan stayed within striking distance as Kaleigh Murphy worked 5.2 innings in the circle, and the offense began to chip away late. Madison Austra doubled in the fourth and again in the sixth, later stealing third before Giana DeSpirito delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-2. An error then helped set up Lynzee Hague, who lined a two-run single to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth.
After West Virginia State reclaimed a 5-4 lead on Brooke Christian’s solo homer in the top of the seventh, the Lady Bobcats answered one final time. Gracey Arnold singled to begin the bottom of the frame, Austra followed with her fourth hit of the game, and Emma Putman ripped a game-tying RBI double. Moments later, DeSpirito singled home Austra with the winning run to complete the comeback. Wesleyan finished with 11 hits in Game 1, led by Austra’s 4-for-4 effort, while DeSpirito went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, Putman drove in one, and Hague added two RBIs.
West Virginia State was paced in Game 1 by Bell, who drove in three runs with her first-inning double, while Cassidy Cummings and Brooke Christian each homered.
In Game 2, the Yellow Jackets took control after Wesleyan grabbed an early 1-0 lead. Riley opened the bottom of the first with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a Lynzee Hague groundout, and scored on Josi Fix’s RBI single. The Lady Bobcats threatened again in the second when Ella Fournier, Giana DeSpirito and Riley all singled to load the bases, but West Virginia State pitcher Hope Sizemore escaped the inning and kept Wesleyan from adding on.
State broke through in the third when Baylee Smith doubled and Sydney Shamblin singled to set the table. Autumn Hall plated the tying run with an RBI groundout, and Cassidy Cummings followed with an RBI single for a 2-1 lead. The Yellow Jackets added another run in the fourth on Avery Contreras’ RBI single, then created separation in the fifth when Cummings launched a two-run homer to make it 5-1.
Wesleyan collected eight hits in the second game, including two each from Riley and DeSpirito, while Fix drove in the Bobcats’ only run. Gracey Arnold, Ella Fournier and Emma Putman also recorded hits. Mackenzie O’Brien started and went five innings, while Avery Orille tossed two scoreless innings in relief with three strikeouts.
For West Virginia State in the nightcap, Cummings finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including the decisive home run, while Shamblin had two hits and Contreras drove in a run. Sizemore went the distance, allowing one run on eight hits in seven innings to secure the win.
