Cardinal Softball Fall Wrap-Up

The Wheeling Jesuit University Cardinal Softball team had a short but productive fall with scrimmages against West Liberty University, Slippery Rock, Marshall and WV State.   

On September 20th, the Cards played West Liberty and split the double header.  In the first game, freshman Aleecia Sunagel and Brianna Gatley were each 2-4 and sophomore Jaime Donato was 2-4 with a homerun to help WJU get the win.  In the second game freshman Shaynna Johnson was 2-3 and Sunagel again had 2 hits, but that wasn’t enough and the Toppers got the win. 

On September 26th, WJU traveled to Kent State University to play Slippery Rock and Walsh University.  Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and WJU only got four innings in against Slippery Rock.  Senior Jordan Burkhart, Sunagel, and Gatley had WJU’s 3 hits in the shortened game.

The WJU Cardinals traveled to Marshall University on October 10th and dropped two heartbreakers, losing to Marshall 6-5 and West Virginia State 5-4 in 8-innings.

In game one, Division 1 Marshall took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, however, senior Courtney Kurowski hit a 2-run homer to tie the game in the second inning.  Marshall came right back in the bottom of the second inning and got 4 runs to take a 6-2 lead.  The Cardinals were not ready to give up; in the 7th inning WJU scored 3 runs on a Donato RBI double and two Thundering Herd errors.  Marshall was able to stop the rally and take the game 6-5. 

In game two against conference foe West Virginia State, WJU again had to work out of a hole.  WVSU had a 4-0 lead but the Cardinals started a comeback in the 5th inning.  Olivia Wamsley hit Gatley in on a RBI double followed by a sixth inning blast by Senior Angela Petros. With the score 4-2 going into the seventh inning the Lady Cards tied the game at 4 when Wamsley hit Kurowski in on a 2-run homer.  In the 8th inning WVSU scored a run and was able to shut the Cardinals down, winning 5-4.
 
The Cardinals were scheduled to play a 50-inning fundraiser game on October 24th; however, the weather did not cooperate and they had to make due by playing in the McDonough Gymnasium.  This game is designed to help offset the cost of their Spring Break trip.
 
WJU will have indoor practices for the next several months preparing themselves for their trip to Kissimmee, Florida for the Rebel Spring Games, where they will face 12 tough opponents.  Their first home game is February 27th against Indiana University of Pennsylvania at the LaRosa Softball Field.