WHEELING, W.Va. -- The Lake Erie softball team competed in The Highlands Classic this weekend, where they faced the West Liberty Hilltoppers and the Wheeling Cardinals. The Storm didn't have an answer for either team's offense and they dropped both games in the classic.

GAME 1
LEC - 4
WLU - 12
6 innings

The Storm offense got started early, kicking off the game with a single by Peyton Powers who came all the way around to score after a fielders choice, error, and finally, an RBI single to left field by Kaitlyn Hendrian.

The Hilltoppers matched the Storm in the bottom half of the inning and extended the lead in the bottom of the third with a three-run inning.

In the fifth, the Lake Erie offense got rolling and tied the game up at 4-4. Lillian Campbell started the inning with a single to center field and after a fielder's choice allowed Allie Jackson to reach base, Jackson stole second to give the Storm a runner in scoring position. Powers would drive Jackson in with an RBI double to centerfield and Megan Miller earned a walk to put two runners on with just one out still.

Sydney Taylor advanced them both on a fielders choice and Vanessa White drove them both in with a double.

West Liberty would unfortunately have back-to-back big offensive innings and they handed the Storm a 12-4 loss in six innings.

Powers led the way, going 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Hendrian went 2-3 and earned her first two collegiate hits in the game while Rachel Fender, White, and Campbell accounted for the remaining hits.


GAME 2
LEC - 3
WHEELING - 9

The Lake Erie offense got going late against the Cardinals. While they threatened to score a few times, they got their first run in the fifth with a sac fly by Megan Miller, scoring Allie Jackson.

They tacked on one in the sixth on a Madi Eckert RBI single, scoring Vanessa White and one more in the seventh on a RBI double to centerfield by Sydney Taylor which scored Peyton Powers.

The Cardinals offense scored seven runs in the third and fourth innings combined and added their final two runs in the sixth, ending the game with a final score of 9-3.

Taylor and Eckert had two hits each in the game while Miller, Powers, White, Jackson, and Lilian Campbell all had one apiece.

Looking Ahead
Lake Erie will be back in action to compete in THE Spring Games in Florida March 12-16. They will face Edinboro, Clarion, Franklin Pierce, Grand Valley State, Saint Martin's, John Melvin Christian, and Waubonsee CC. When they return, they will begin G-MAC competition with two road series against Northwood and Hillsdale.