Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Salem, VA – The IUP softball team finished the opening day of the West Virginia Wesleyan Tournament with a 2-0 record, claiming wins against Charleston and West Virginia State.

The Crimson Hawks defeated Charleston 8-2 in the first game before moving on to defeat West Virginia State 8-6.

In the first game, Jasa Mitchell (Snow Shoe/Bald Eagle Area) got things going for the Crimson Hawks, ripping a solo shot to give the Crimson Hawks the 1-0 lead.

Charleston got back on top, recording two unearned runs to take the 2-1 lead. IUP, however, would answer, scoring four unanswered runs.

With the bases loaded, Hannah Mercer (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg Area) and Rachel Francis (Jefferson, OH/Jefferson) each recorded two RBIs to give IUP the 5-2 lead.

In the fifth, Mary Ward (Hatfield/North Penn) blasted the team's second homer of the game and Megan Gold brought in Christi Mauk (Claysburg/Claysburg-Kimmel) on a double.

Mitchell scored the final run of the game, advancing on an error and scoring on a single from Stefanie McCoy (New Paris/Chestnut Ridge).

Alexa Campbell (Manheim/Manheim Central ) got the win for the Crimson Hawks, with no earned runs, just four hits and six strikeouts.

Mercer finished the day 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI while Mitchell also went 2-for-4 with a homerun.

Ward touched the bases three times and recorded a homer. Mauke went 2-of-3 with a double.

In the second game, the Crimson Hawks again got things going first, recording two runs in the first to take the early lead. Francis got IUP on the board with a solo homerun followed by an RBI single from Ward.

In the second inning, IUP was at it again, off back-to-back homers from Mercer and Francis.

West Virginia State tied it up in the third and took the 5-4 lead in the fifth inning.

The Crimson Hawks responded, reclaiming the lead after consecutive singles from Francis, Allison Viguers (West Chester/West Chester East) and Ward. Mitchell would score after a McCoy hit to centerfield.

With the game tied 6-6 in the bottom of the sixth, IUP would score the game's final two runs to claim the 8-6 win.

Mitchell and Viguers singled on back-to-back plays and Mitchell scored on an error by West Virginia Wesleyan. Madi Derr (Lancaster/Warwick) entered the game as a pinch runner for Viguers and scored on another hit from McCoy.

Emily Hofmann (Dublin/Pennridge) sealed the deal for IUP with a one-two-three inning that included a strikeout. She got the win for the Crimson Hawks with 1.1 innings of relief.

In the game, Francis went 3-of-4 with two solo homers while Mitchell was 3-of-4 with three runs scored. Viguers was also 3-of-4 with an RBI and McCoy went 2-of-4 with an RBI.

The Crimson Hawks will play in day two of the three-day tournament tomorrow, taking on Farimont State and Shepherd. They'll wrap up the weekend on Sunday battling with Winston-Salem State and Concord.