RAMS SPLIT IN FIRST ROUND TOURNAMENT ACTION

VIENNA, W. Va. -- Shepherd University split in first day action of the WVIAC Softball Tournament in Vienna. Shepherd downed Davis & Elkins 8-0 in five innings and then dropped a 3-2 decision to West Liberty in nine innings.

Sophomore pitcher Mia Zappacosta (Owings Mills, MD/McDonogh HS) tossed a one-hitter in the win over Davis & Elkins.

Monica Decker had the only hit for the Senators.

Senior outfielder Jenn Canby (Martinsburg, WV/Martinsburg HS) and junior first baseman Brooke Small (Herndon, VA/Herndon HS) each had a pair of hits and drove in two runs to lead the Ram attack.

Canby and Small also each added pair of hits in the loss to West Liberty.

West Liberty scored a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning when Mariah Hulsey and Tiffany Martin would both score on errors. Mia Zappacosta and junior second baseman Megan Zahnow (Berkeley Springs, WV/Berkeley Springs HS) scored in the bottom of the frame with the aid of two Hilltopper errors to knot the game at 2-2. West Liberty scored the game-winner on a bloop single by Kylie Earliewin that plated Jess Detrick in the ninth.

Tabi Merceruio tossed 7 2/3 innings for West Liberty before giving way to Carrie Swinderman, who picked up the win. Junior Karen Burnette (Yorktown, VA/Tabb HS) went the distance for the Rams.

Davis & Elkins (7-29) 000 00 0 1 0

Shepherd (23-14) 410 12 8 11 2

WP: Zappacosta (5-5)

LP: Brose

West Liberty(19-21) 000 000 021 3 7 4

Shepherd (23-15) 000 000 020 2 7 4

WP: Swinderman (8-10)

LP: Burnette (7-5)