Wheeling, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Softball team (7-41, 5-25) wrapped up their home schedule on Thursday with their senior day festivities. Abby Bumbico, Jenee Brodeur, and Mia Smallwood were honored in a postgame ceremony after Wheeling battled against Notre Dame College. The Cardinals ended up being swept on the day, with Notre Dame College winning game one 9-6 and adding a 6-2 win in game two to close out the day.
Game One: Notre Dame College 9, Wheeling 6
The Cardinals started out their senior day game by sending one of those seniors to the circle. Jenee Brodeur got the start for the Cardinals and after allowing two early runs was able to settle in. She came back with a 1-2-3 top of the second and faced just four batters in the top of the third to keep it a 2-0 game. The Cardinals would reward her in the bottom of the third after Natalie Stoner started things with a double. A groundball moved the runner to third and Jenna Hollerich would bring her home on a sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 game after three innings.
Brodeur would make way for Jamie Anderson in the top of the fourth, but Notre Dame College added two more runs to extend their lead to 4-1. Notre Dame College starting pitcher Grace Fisher would get into a groove after allowing that third inning run, throwing up three consecutive zeros. The Cardinals threatened in each of those innings, getting at least one runner on, but they couldn’t push anything across. In the top of the seventh, the Falcons added a four-spot before Brodeur was summoned again to get the final two outs. She would do just that as she finished what was a solid outing on her senior day. She totaled 3.2 innings of work allowing two unearned runs on three hits while walking one and striking out two. The Cardinals came to the bat racks in the bottom of the seventh down 9-1, but had some magic left in their bats.
Kelsi Green would single to start the inning and two batters later Stoner would double to put runners on second and third. Brooke Slomkowski would come on to pinch hit and launched a three-run home run over the left field wall to make it a 9-4 contest.
After a lineout served as the second out of the inning, Candela Garcia Cabedo was hit by a pitch. It would bring Feyh to the plate, who has been on a tear as of late, and she came through. She launched her team-leading fourth home run of the season over the left field wall and the Cardinals made it a three-run game at 9-6. However, the mountain was just too tall for the Cardinals to climb as they fell 9-6 to drop the first game of the doubleheader.
Cassie Feyh continued her recent tear at the plate, leading the Cardinals with a 2-3 day with one home run and two RBI. It was her third home run in her last five games as she pushes her hitting streak to seven consecutive games. Brooke Slomkowski made waves in her only at-bat of the day, hitting the pinch hit three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, and Natalie Stoner rounded out the day with a 3-3 day, that included two doubles. The Cardinals would look to bounce back and earn a split of senior day in game two.
Game Two: Notre Dame College 6, Wheeling 2
The Cardinals were hoping that some of their late-game magic from game one would transfer over into game two. Maria Clark took the circle for the Cardinals and early on was dominant in her final home start. She came through with a 1-2-3 top of the first and didn’t allow her first hit of the night until the third inning. However, the Falcons would strike first in that third inning, putting up a six-spot to take a 6-0 lead. It would spell the end of the night for Clark, who lasted 2.1 innings of work allowing five runs on four hits while walking one and striking out one. Senior Abby Bumbico would come in to get the final two outs of the inning, but Wheeling found themselves trailing 6-0.
In the bottom of the third, the Cardinals would get one of those runs back after Maddie Munoz lined a triple down the left field line. It brought up Madison George with a runner on third and one out and she would come through with an RBI groundout that scored Munoz and made it a 6-1 game. After allowing the one run in the top of the third, Bumbico was electric in the circle for the rest of the night. She threw up four straight zeros and was able to keep the game in reach for her team. She finished the night throwing 4.2 innings allowing one unearned run on three hits while walking a batter. It remained a 6-1 game until the bottom of the sixth as the Cardinals started to rally.
After a flyout to start the inning, Brooke Slomkowski would reach on a one-out single and was ran for by Avonikah Salas. Anna Florczak followed with a single before Kelsi Green drew a one-out walk to load the bases. However, the ball four pitch got away from the catcher and Salas scampered home to make it a 6-2 game. The Cardinals would get two more base runners in the bottom of the seventh, as Munoz and George both singled, but that would end it as they fell 6-2 to end the day.
Maddie Munoz was the Cardinal’s leader in game two, going 3-4 with a triple and a run scored. It was her MEC leading eighth triple of the season. Madison George added a 1-3 effort with an RBI while Kelsi Green drove in the other RBI on the day.
The Wheeling University Softball team wraps up their 2023 schedule on Saturday, April 29th, when they hit the road to face Alderson Broaddus with first pitch at 1 PM.
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