PITTSBURGH, Pa. – West Virginia Wesleyan put together a strong all-around day Friday in Pittsburgh, sweeping Point Park University in a Mountain East Conference doubleheader by scores of 8-7 and 7-1. The Bobcats used timely hitting and just enough pitching to hold off a late rally in the opener, then backed a complete-game effort from
Mackenzie O'Brien in the nightcap to complete the sweep.
In the opener, Wesleyan struck first and kept applying pressure throughout the afternoon.
Jaelyn Riley reached and came around in the first, and
Madison Austra added to the lead with a solo home run to left-center in the second as the Bobcats built an early 2-0 edge. Point Park answered with two runs in the fourth to tie the game, but Wesleyan responded immediately with a three-run fifth.
Gracey Arnold was hit by a pitch to start the rally,
Reagan Winn singled, and after
Josi Fix drew a walk, Austra forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk.
Ella Fournier followed with another RBI walk, and
Emma Putman added an RBI single to put the Bobcats back in front.
Wesleyan added three more in the sixth to create breathing room. Riley walked and stole both second and third before Arnold brought her home with a sacrifice bunt. Later in the inning, Fournier came through with one of the biggest swings of the game, singling up the middle to drive in two more runs and stretch the lead to 8-3. Fournier finished with three RBIs in the opener, while Austra had a huge game at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run, double, two RBIs, and two walks. Winn went 3-for-3 and scored twice, Putman drove in a run, and Riley scored twice while swiping two bases.
The second game took on a different tone, with the Bobcats leaning on steady pitching and clean defense to pull away for a 7-1 win. Point Park grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third on Cam Mann's RBI double, but Wesleyan answered in the fourth.
Josi Fix walked and stole second, Austra reached on a walk, and Fournier singled to left to bring home the tying run.
Wesleyan took control in the fifth.
Kali Vance opened the inning with a pinch-hit single, Riley followed with a bunt single, and
Lynzee Hague moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. Arnold then delivered an RBI single through the left side to score
Trinity Nowicki, and moments later Riley scored on a Point Park error to give the Bobcats a 3-1 advantage. Wesleyan broke it open in the sixth with three more runs.
Emma Putman reached on an error, Nowicki singled, and Riley lined an RBI single to center. Hague and Arnold each followed with RBI groundouts as the Bobcats pushed the margin to 6-1. Fournier capped the scoring in the seventh with an RBI double to right, plating Austra.
Fournier again sparked the offense in game two, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double. Riley also went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Arnold drove in two runs and Austra reached base four times with a double and three walks. Nowicki scored twice and added a hit, and Wesleyan capitalized on two Point Park errors in the final three innings.
O'Brien was outstanding in the circle in the nightcap, tossing a complete game and allowing just one run on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks. She worked efficiently throughout, needing only 70 pitches to finish the seven-inning victory. Point Park was limited to six hits and did not score after the third inning as Wesleyan closed out the sweep in convincing fashion.
Wesleyan plays Salem University in Salem on Saturday, April 4. The doubleheader starts at noon.
