BRISTOL, Tenn. - Sophomore Marlee Pireu began the 2026 season with a homerun on the first at-bat of the game for the Malone University softball team to spark an 11-2 victory over West Liberty University (0-2) in game one of two on Friday. The Pioneers then defeated the host of the King Invitational, the King University Tornado (5-3) by a score of 8-6. Malone is now 2-0 overall.
 
MALONE vs WEST LIBERTY RECAP:
After the homerun by Pireu in the top of the first, junior Mia Rose twirled a 1-2-3 bottom half with a pair of punchouts. Senior Amber Miller led off the second with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Pireu to extend the lead to 2-0. The Pioneers threatened with the bases loaded, but left two stranded.
 
Junior Sidney Conti walked in the third and a Rose double put both student-athletes in scoring position. Newcomer to the program in sophomore Masyn Baker drove in a run when she reached on an error and Rose scored on a double play ball for the Hilltoppers to make it 4-0 Malone.
 
The lead ballooned to 9-0 in the top of the fourth with the help of three hits and two errors. Rose had a two-RBI single and Baker followed that up with a two-run double to do the most damage. An error plated a fifth run in the frame. West Liberty answered with two in the fourth, but a two-out single by Conti put the Pioneers in position for the run-rule win.
 
The Hilltoppers threatened to cut into the 11-2 lead with two baserunners in the bottom of the fifth, but could not scratch across a run to extend the game further than the fifth inning.
 
Rose (1-0) got the win in the circle and struck out three batters. Rose and Pireu were student-athletes that had multiple hits, RBIs and runs in the win and Conti reached base in all three plate appearances with a pair of walks. Baker drove in three runs in her Pioneer debut. Junior Lacie Quarles had a multi-hit game as well at 2-for-3.
 
MALONE vs KING RECAP:
The home Tornado took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after a walk, hit by pitch and RBI single. Back-to-back doubles by senior Madi Pukansky and Pireu helped Malone to get ahead 3-1 in the top of the second. Baker and Miller caused havoc to start the frame with consecutive hits. The Pioneers led 3-2 after two full innings of play.
 
The duo of Rose and Miller got that run back in the third with a one-out double and two-out single to increase the lead to 4-2. Pireu kept her hot streak going at the plate with an RBI double in the fourth to go up 5-2. King tacked on a run in the bottom half to stay close, but could not reclaim the lead they once had.
 
Baker got the start in the circle for the Pioneers and put herself in position for the pitching win (1-0) with four innings of work where she struck out five. Head Coach Jeff Hite turned the ball over to freshman Summer McCaw to begin the fifth and after he allowed a lead-off single, settled in to get out of the inning with no damage.
 
After Miller scored on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth, the Tornado got to within one at 6-5. Both marks were unearned on the ledger of McCaw. Sophomore Morgan Cantrell recorded a hit to start the seventh and later in the inning, Rose provided much needed insurance in the form of an RBI double. Miller plated an additional run with a groundout to go into the final half inning up 8-5.
 
King did not make it easy for McCaw to pick up her first career save after one run scored and the game's tying run came to the plate, but she was able to finish the job with a swinging strikeout to take the 8-6 victory.
 
Malone received multiple hits throughout the lineup in Pireu (2), Rose (2), Miller (2) and Pukansky (2). Those four combined for all seven runs batted in.
 
UP NEXT:
The Pioneers will see West Liberty (10:00 A.M.) and King (2:00 P.M.) again on Saturday, February 14 to wrap up the King Invitational.