DAYTONA, Fla. — The West Virginia Wesleyan softball team continued play at the Space Coast Tournament on March 5, battling through a pair of competitive games against Cedarville University and the University of Mary. The Lady Bobcats were locked in tight contests throughout the afternoon but ultimately fell 3–2 in a walk-off against Cedarville before dropping a 5–1 decision to Mary in the second game of the day.
They wrapped up play at the Space Coast Tournament on Friday, falling in a high-scoring 15–11 contest to Minnesota Crookston before dropping a 3–0 decision to Bridgeport in the evening matchup.
Game 1: Cedarville 3, West Virginia Wesleyan 2
The opening matchup was a defensive battle through the first four innings as both teams struggled to generate offense. Lady Bobcat pitcher Morgan Greene kept Cedarville in check early, while Wesleyan threatened with runners in scoring position but could not break through against the Yellow Jackets’ pitching staff.
Wesleyan finally found momentum in the top of the fifth inning. Jaelyn Riley sparked the rally with a single and later stole second before Lynzee Hague delivered a single to right field. A Cedarville throwing error allowed Riley to score, and another defensive miscue moments later brought Hague across the plate to give the Lady Bobcats a 2–0 advantage.
Cedarville answered in the bottom half of the inning. A pair of singles and pressure on the bases led to two unearned runs as the Yellow Jackets capitalized on defensive miscues to even the score at 2–2. Greene worked out of further trouble and kept the game tied through the sixth inning.
The Yellow Jackets secured the win in the bottom of the seventh. Jordan Berry opened the inning with a single and eventually moved into scoring position before a bunt single by Brynley Rung advanced the runners. Camryn Taktak then delivered a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing Berry home for the walk-off run and a 3–2 Cedarville victory.
Greene pitched effectively despite the tough loss, allowing just five hits over 6.1 innings with all three runs unearned. Offensively, Riley, Hague, Josi Fix, Reagan Winn, and Kali Vance each recorded hits for Wesleyan, with Winn adding a double.
Game 2: Mary 5, West Virginia Wesleyan 1
In the second game of the afternoon, Mary struck early with a run in the first inning after Kaitlyn McLaughlin singled, stole second, and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Genevieve Hastings.
The Lady Bobcats responded in the fourth inning. Josi Fix singled to start the rally, and Reagan Winn followed with a clutch RBI double to center field to tie the game at 1–1.
The contest remained even until the sixth inning when Mary broke the game open. McLaughlin reached on an error and eventually scored on a triple by Jenel Mallari. Jianna Cota followed with an RBI single, and additional runs crossed the plate on a wild pitch and a caught-stealing sequence to give Mary a 5–1 lead.
Wesleyan was unable to mount a late comeback as the Marauders’ pitching staff retired the Lady Bobcats in order over the final frames to secure the victory.
Winn paced the Wesleyan offense in game two with two hits, including the RBI double, while Fix and Kali Vance also recorded hits. Mackenzie O’Brien started in the circle and worked 5.1 innings, with Avery Orille providing relief over the final 1.2 innings.
Game One: Minnesota Crookston 15, West Virginia Wesleyan 11
In a game that featured 26 combined runs and 29 hits, Minnesota Crookston used a late surge to outlast the Lady Bobcats in a back-and-forth battle.
The Golden Eagles struck first with four runs in the top of the first inning, highlighted by an RBI triple from Emily Kalina and run-scoring singles from Valerie VanZant and Jocelyn Hernandez. Wesleyan answered immediately in the bottom half. After a single by Josi Fix, Reagan Winn doubled to drive in the Lady Bobcats’ first run before Madison Austra and Kali Vance followed with RBI singles to trim the deficit to 4–3.
The Lady Bobcats exploded for five runs in the second inning to take their first lead of the game. Fix delivered an RBI double, Winn followed with an RBI single, and Vance capped the rally with a two-run single as Wesleyan surged ahead 8–4.
Minnesota Crookston responded with its biggest inning in the fifth. With runners on base, Rayna French blasted a three-run double and later scored on a wild pitch as the Golden Eagles pushed across six runs to regain the lead, 10–8.
Wesleyan battled back in the sixth. Emma Putman drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly to center field that tied the game at 10–10 and briefly swung momentum back to the Lady Bobcats.
However, Minnesota Crookston delivered the decisive blow in the seventh inning. A string of hits—including RBI singles from Riley Blake, Irelyn Spencer, and VanZant—produced five runs and gave the Golden Eagles a 15–10 advantage. Wesleyan plated one run in the bottom of the frame but could get no closer.
The Lady Bobcats recorded 14 hits in the game. Fix led the offense with three hits, while Austra also had three hits and scored twice. Winn added two hits and two RBIs, and Vance drove in three runs.
Game Two: Bridgeport 3, West Virginia Wesleyan 0
In the nightcap, the Lady Bobcats were held in check offensively as Bridgeport pitcher Samantha Ledger tossed a complete-game shutout.
Bridgeport capitalized on a Wesleyan miscue in the second inning to score two runs despite not recording a hit in the frame. The Purple Knights added an insurance run in the fifth inning when Paityn Thibodeaux delivered an RBI single to extend the lead to 3–0.
Wesleyan’s best scoring opportunity came in the fifth inning. Chloe Cowan singled and later moved to third on a passed ball, while Lynzee Hague drew a walk to put two runners aboard. However, Ledger induced a groundout to escape the inning and preserve the shutout.
Cowan led the Lady Bobcats at the plate with two hits, including a double in the seventh inning. Josi Fix added Wesleyan’s other hit of the game.
Despite the loss, Morgan Greene delivered a strong outing in the circle, allowing just three hits while striking out three over seven innings of work.
Wesleyan returns to the mound when the team travels to the Salem Tournament (Va.) to face Edinboro University in the first game on Saturday, Mar. 14 at 11 p.m.
