BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan Softball team picked up two major wins today at home against South Division rival Charleston. The Bobcats won two one-run games, taking the first game 3-2 and game two 5-4. With the wins, Wesleyan moves one game behind UC for the lead in the division.

Game 1
Charleston got on the board early, driving one to the right-center gap with two outs to plate a run. With runners on second and third, Kendall Stoffel was able to minimize the damage by forcing a groundout to third. The Bobcats threatened in the 1^st inning with Taylor Swartz getting to third after singling to left. Charleston's Brianna McCown was able to leave unscathed, securing her third strikeout of the inning.

In the 3^rd inning, Alyssa Rohr slapped a triple over the left fielder's head and Taylor Swartz hit a 2-run blast to right-center to give the Bobcats a 2-1 lead after three innings. UC put together some two-out offense in the top of the 4^th after Stoffel sat the first two batters down. A groundout ended the scoring opportunity to keep the lead at 2-1.

That quickly changed when Andie Dizon blasted a no-doubter to left to give the 'Cats a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the 4^th. The Bobcats gambled on a liner to right but Megan McMackin would be thrown out at the plate on a close play. After Stoffel completed another strong inning in the top of the 5^th, Wesleyan loaded the bases with no outs. The Golden Eagles avoided a huge inning after striking out Morgan Norris and forcing Andie Dizon into a double play.

UC started the top of the 7^th with a double to center, cutting into the WVWC lead on the next batter with a single to right. Andie Dizon gunned down a runner attempting to steal third to record the first out and Stoffel forced consecutive groundouts to take game one 3-2.

Brionna Bowman had three of the five hits for UC while Emma Groe and Brittany Ogg record an RBI each. Brianna McCown was handed just her third loss of the season after seven innings of work and allowing three runs (earned) on one walk and seven strikeouts.

Taylor Swartz and Alyssa Rohr finished with two hits each as Swartz led the Bobcats with 2 RBI. Andie Dizon's solo HR was the other RBI for Wesleyan. Kendall Stoffel picked up her 17^th win of the season, giving up two runs (both earned) on five hits and four walks.

Game 2
Abigail O'Shields struck two batters out in the top of the 1^st to get the game started with the offense rewarding her with early offense. Morgan Norris singled Taylor Swartz home and Andie Dizon hit her second HR of the day with a 2-run shot to make it 3-0 after an inning. A mishap with two outs in the outfield allowed Charleston to get a run on the board in the top of the 2^nd. O'Shields didn't let it affect her, striking out the next batter to get out of the inning.

The Bobcats used a walk and an awkward single to put runners at first and third in the bottom of the 2^nd but a popup in the infield got the Golden Eagles out of the jam. UC dropped a blooper into right field to bring the runner from second home to once again cut into Wesleyan's lead, making it 3-2 through 4 ½ innings. In the next inning, Charleston knotted it up at 3 with a two-out solo HR that barely got over the fence and took the lead with another solo shot on the next at-bat.

Morgan Norris sent a flyball to the warning track in left field in the bottom of the 5^th but she got just under it as it died at the track. The Bobcats loaded the bases with two outs in the same inning, ending the inning with no runs on a strikeout. An error by the UC defense with two outs kept the bats alive for the 'Cats in the bottom of the 6^th. Taylor Swartz took full advantage of the extra at-bat, hitting a line drive HR to left-center to give Wesleyan a 5-4 lead going into the top of the 7^th. Hannah Hudson recorded two strikeouts and forced a popup to end the game, securing the doubleheader sweep 5-4.

Hannah Rose was 2-3 at the plate with an RBI to lead Charleston. Three other Golden Eagles recorded an RBI and Jeritza Montero also had two hits. Danielle Bauer was forced out of the game after just 0.1 innings of work, allowing three runs (earned) in the 1^st inning. Addison Mass took the loss, going 5.2 innings and giving up two runs (unearned) on four hits and four walks.

Taylor Swartz and Andie Dizon both had 2 RBI with Swartz finishing the day with three hits for the Bobcats. Morgan Norris closed the game out with an RBI to cap it off. Abigail O'Shields allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Hannah Hudson pitched in relief, taking the win after 2.1 innings and striking out three.

Up Next For The Bobcats
Wesleyan closes out the regular season at home next weekend with doubleheaders against Concord (Friday) and Glenville State (Saturday).