SALEM, Va. -- The Fairmont State softball team opened up play at the 2021 Mountain East Conference Softball Tournament with a 1-1 record on Friday afternoon and evening during the opening day of competition at the championship.
 
The Falcons rallied from two early deficits (1-0 and 2-1) to defeat the University of Charleston, 3-2, in the opening game of the day following a two-out RBI single by Jessie Weaver in the eighth inning to provide the game-winning run in the victory. Weaver scored the first two runs for the Falcons before driving in the game-winner in the eighth.
 
In the second game of the day, West Liberty's pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed just six hits in a 5-0 shutout victory, the second of the day for the Hilltoppers after getting a no-hitter performance earlier in the day against West Virginia Wesleyan.
 
Following Friday's results, Fairmont State will now prepare for an elimination game against Notre Dame College on Saturday afternoon at the Moyer Complex. First pitch is set for 12 noon on field #1. With a win during the noon matchup, Fairmont State would advance to a 2 p.m. meeting against the winner of West Virginia Wesleyan/Frostburg State – which is also set for 12 noon on Saturday on field #3.
 
Game 1
 
In the early game to open tournament play, UC's Hannah Rose put Charleston on the board first with a sacrifice fly to left field that brought home an unearned run for the Golden Eagles in the second inning. In the top of the third, however, Andie Baughman hit an RBI single to center field with the bases loaded to score Weaver for Fairmont's first run of the afternoon.
 
Charleston regained the advantage at 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI double to left center by Rose.
 
The score would remain the same until the top of the seventh when Emily Riggs hit an RBI double to right field to bring home Weaver for the second time in the game.
 
After Fairmont State held UC off the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh, Weaver put the Falcons in front during the top of the eighth when she hit an RBI single to center field to bring home Caitlyn Kassay from third. Kassay got into scoring position by hitting a double earlier in the inning, and moving over to third on a groundout by Kadi Cosgrove during the next at-bat.
 
Weaver went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Falcons against UC.
 
Kassay (7-3) earned the complete-game victory for the Falcons after allowing just two runs (0 earned) on seven hits. She struck out five during the outing.
 
Game 2
 
In the game two shutout loss to West Liberty, Fairmont State stranded seven runners, including two in the fifth, three in the sixth and one in the seventh as the Hilltoppers rolled to their second win of the day.
 
Fairmont State scattered six hits in the game, including two apiece from Haley McDaniel and Courtney Moyer.
 
West Liberty got RBI's from Riley Conkle and Sidney Little, before sealing the win with a two-run home run by Katie Beeman in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Annie Paterson (8-4) and Riley Bennington combined for the shutout for WLU, totaling 10 strikeouts and walking just one batter as a duo in the win.
 
Cierra Chastain (8-7) suffered the loss for Fairmont State in game two, allowing five runs on seven hits and striking-out four.