WHEELING, W.V. – The Malone University softball team kicked off the 2025 season with a pair of run-rule victories at Wheeling University. The Pioneers moved to 2-0 thanks to an 11-0 win and a 9-1 victory on Tuesday evening. The Cardinals fell to 0-4 with the losses.
 
GAME ONE RECAP:
Six straight batters reached for Malone in the top of the first inning to claim a 3-0 lead before allowing their opponents to take their first swings. Sophomore Mia Rose had an RBI single and freshman Marlee Pireu and junior Madi Pukansky drove in runs on bases loaded walks.
 
Rose would strike out the first five Wheeling batters to keep the offense quiet throughout the game. Malone doubled their lead in the top of the third with a run-scoring double by sophomore Sydney Conti, a sacrifice caught stealing and an RBI single by senior Ella Collinsworth.
 
Pireu, Collinsworth and Pukansky helped to extend the lead to 9-0 and in the top of the fifth, a single by sophomore Faith Yoho turned into two runs with the help of an outfield error to get to the 11-0 final score.
 
Rose (1-0) threw a complete game shutout with nine K's while also going 3-for-4 in the batter's box. Conti reached base three times with two hits and a walk. The 6-7-8 hitters of Pukansky, Yoho and Collinsworth all had multiple hits.
 
GAME TWO RECAP:
Both pitching staffs settled down for two scoreless frames to begin game two of the day. In the circle for the Pioneers was senior Allie Weilnau (1-0). She would go on to get the win in five innings that featured four strikeouts.
 
Freshman Aricka Young and junior Amber Miller started the third with back-to-back hits that gave Malone a 1-0 lead. A crooked number in the top of the fourth would put the game out of reach at 8-0. Only three of the seven runs scored by the Pioneers were earned after three Cardinal errors in the inning.
 
Young would deliver an RBI hit herself in the top of the fifth to make it 9-0, a key run when Wheeling plated their lone run of the series in the bottom half of the inning. Weilnau was able to conclude the game with an infield popup at 9-1.
 
The trio of 8-9-1 hitters Collinsworth, Young and Miller had two hits apiece. Miller recorded two of the team's four RBIs. Freshman Gabby Meade was 1-for-2 with a walk in her first career game.
 
UP NEXT:
Malone will play four games in the Regional Roundup on February 28 through March 2, hosted by Salem University. The Pioneers start their slate with West Liberty University on February 28 beginning at 12:30 P.M.