WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The Fairmont State (18-14, 8-4 in Mountain East Conference play) softball team split a doubleheader at West Liberty (10-22, 6-6 MEC) Sunday (April 2) at the Hilltopper Softball Complex in West Liberty, W.Va.
 
Game One – WLU 8, Fairmont State 1
The Hilltoppers offense got to work early and scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice bunt, an RBI single and a two-run home run. Isabella Yelle reached on an error in the fifth inning that led to a Fairmont State run to cut the deficit to three. West Liberty tacked on three in the bottom half of the fifth and then one more in the sixth to win game one, 8-1.

The Falcons stranded seven runners on base in the first game and were held to five singles. Emily Riggs, Jordan Novak, Peyton Wetherholt, Mackenzie Maddy and Abbie Keilholz all collected hits in the first game. West Liberty totaled nine hits including three extra-base hits.
 
Game Two – Fairmont State 6, West Liberty 5
Katy Darnell led the game off with a base hit to left field and proceeded to swipe second base. Hannah Workman walked to put two runners on in the first inning for Fairmont State. Riggs scored Darnell for the Falcons' first run. Peyton Wetherholt singled to load the bases and Jordan Novak made it five consecutive Fairmont State hitters to reach safely to start the game with an RBI single. WLU responded with one run in the bottom of the first inning and Fairmont State led 2-1.
 
Darnell walked and recorded her second stolen base with one out in the second. Darnell scored on a West Liberty error and pushed the lead to 3-1. Riggs picked up her second RBI single of the day that scored Workman and the Falcons led by three at the end of two innings. Alexa Andrews drove in Brianna McKenzie and Jaylin McGill in the third with an RBI knock to put the Falcons ahead, 6-1. WLU picked up a run in the bottom of the third to make the score 6-2.
 
The Hilltoppers managed to trim the Fairmont State lead to one in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jordan Popowski, who started the game, re-entered, and punched out a WLU hitter for the final out. The Falcons held on for a 6-5 win to split the doubleheader.
 
Darnell, Riggs and Wetherholt all finished the game with two hits. Wetherholt had the lone extra-base hit for Fairmont State with a double. She and Darnell both reached base safely three times. Workman, Novak, Courtney Moyer and Andrews each had one hit. Riggs and Andrews combined for four RBIs. The Falcons stole six bases, with Darnell and McGill each swiping two.
 
In the circle, Emma Gates threw 6.2 innings and struck out three hitters in her ninth win of the season. Popowski recorded the final out on a punch out and earned the save.
 
Up Next
The Falcons will travel to Wheeling on Monday (April 3) for a doubleheader versus the Cardinals starting at 4 p.m. from the I-470 Complex.