results/boxscores
(VIENNA, W.Va.)---West Virginia Wesleyan exploded for all eight runs during the final three innings during an 8-0 victory over Fairmont State in the WVIAC Softball Tournament championship contest.
The Bobcats posted the first run of the day when Kashilia Young slapped a fourth-inning single to left field that plated pinch-runner Kelli McCullough.
Defensive woes and timely hitting helped the 'Cats chase Fairmont State ace Chelsea Cobb in the fifth. Paige Cummings opened the inning with a single to right field. Sarah Smith popped up to third for the inning's first out. Desiree Sibera followed with a long pinch-hit single to right that moved to Cummings to third.
Jess Russ, who returned to the game to run for Sibera, swiped second. Russ and Cummings would then score following an FSU throwing error to make it 3-0 in favor of Wesleyan. Shelby Carlson then added a pinch-hit single that brought home Amber Whisner for a 4-0 lead and the end of Cobb's day.
Another FSU error helped push the edge to 5-0 in the fifth and a three-run outburst off reliever Katie Burgess ended the contest in the sixth inning.
Wesleyan pitcher Patricia Moreno, the tournament MVP, scattered five hits and ran her scoreless streak in the tournament to 20 innings. She fanned three and walked two. In all, Wesleyan pitching only allowed one run in 27 innings during four victories.
Cobb was saddled with the loss. The freshman gave up six hits and three earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. She struck out three and walked none.
Burgess, the second FSU pitcher, was plagued with control issues. She hit three batters and walked two more, allowing the final three Bobcat runs.
Fairmont State had reached the championship game after blanking Charleston 4-0 earlier in the day. Cobb was outstanding as she twirled a two-hitter and struck out five. Chelsea Simon and Sarah Zeleznikar had two hits each for the Falcons, while Elizabeth Derrick notched a pair of sacrifice flies.
Wesleyan (43-11) earns the WVIAC's automatic bid into the upcoming NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional. Fairmont State (33-18) hopes to secure an at-large bid.
Score by Innings R H E
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Fairmont State...... 002 020 0 - 4 7 0
Charleston.......... 000 000 0 - 0 2 3
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W-Cobb. L-Rossman.
Score by Innings R H E
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Fairmont State...... 000 000 - 0 5 3
WV Wesleyan......... 000 143 - 8 8 0
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W-Moreno. L-Cobb.
All-Tournament Team:
MVP-Patricia Moreno (WVWC), Shelby Carlson (WVWC), KC Carey (WVWC), Sarah Smith (WVWC), Chelsea Cobb (FSU), Chelsea Simon (FSU), Elizabeth Derrick (FSU), Mereaha Cooper (A-B), Hayley Mullen (A-B), Stefanie Rossman (UC), Amber Jarvis (UC), Samantha Fordyce (OVU), Lisa Kaczynski (SHU), Louanne Wiegand (SHU), Tricia Bettura (SU), Brittany Hyatt (WVSU), Kayla Sturms (WVSU).
2010 WVIAC Softball Tournament
April 29-May 1
Vienna, W.Va. (Jackson Park)
Thursday, April 29:
G1: #7 Glenville State 5, #10 West Liberty 3
G2: #6 WV State 3, #11 Concord 2
G3: #5 Alderson-Broaddus 10, #12 Ohio Valley 2 (6 innings)
G4: #8 Seton Hill 6, #9 Wheeling Jesuit 1
G5: #2 Shepherd 4, Glenville State 1
G6: #3 Charleston 4, WV State 3
G7: #4 Fairmont State 6, Alderson-Broaddus 2
G8: #1 WV Wesleyan 1, Seton Hill 0
G9: Ohio Valley 7, Glenville State 1 (GSC eliminated)
G10: WV State 14, Wheeling Jesuit 4 (WJU eliminated)
G11: Alderson-Broaddus 4, West Liberty 2 (WL eliminated)
G12: Seton Hill 5, Concord 2 (CU eliminated)
Friday, April 30:
G13: WV State 8, Ohio Valley 0 (6 innings, OVU eliminated)
G14: Seton Hill 5, Alderson-Broaddus 3 (A-B eliminated)
G15: Charleston 2, Shepherd 1
G16: WV Wesleyan 2, Fairmont State 0
G17: Seton Hill 10, Shepherd 3 (SU eliminated)
G18: Fairmont State 6, WV State 1 (WVSU eliminated)
G19: WV Wesleyan 2, Charleston 1
G20: Fairmont State 5, Seton Hill 0 (SHU eliminated)
Saturday, May 1:
G21: Fairmont State 4, Charleston 0 (UC eliminated)
G22: WV Wesleyan 8, Fairmont State 0 (championship)