GLENVILLE, W.Va. - Glenville State Softball is set to host the Sue Morris Sports Complex Classic tomorrow (Feb. 24) through Sunday (Feb. 25), welcoming eight teams to compete this weekend. Those making the trip will be Fairmont State, Indiana (Pa.), West Virginia State, Slippery Rock, West Virginia Wesleyan, Gannon, Frostburg State and WVU Tech. 

GAME INFORMATION 
Saturday, February 24 | 10:30 a.m. | Doug Morris Field at Sue Morris Sports Complex 
Glenville State vs Gannon 
Watch on MEC.TV 

Saturday, February 24 | 3:30 p.m. | Doug Morris Field at Sue Morris Sports Complex 
Glenville State vs WVU Tech 
Watch on MEC.TV

Sunday, February 25 | 10:30 a.m. | Doug Morris Field at Sue Morris Sports Complex 
Glenville State vs Indiana (Pa.) 
Watch on MEC.TV 

THE OPPONENTS 
GANNON 
The Golden Knights enter (1-3) after starting the season at the Music City Invitational in Smyrna, Tenn. GU defeated Tiffin in their first game but have dropped their last three. 

Alaina Whipkey is batting .455, which leads the team while adding 2 RBI. Natalia Mallozzi (.385 AVG) and Bella Atherton (.375 AVG) also enter the weekend with high batting averages. Emma Smerick is bringing the most power, slashing .308 with 1 HR, 6 RBI and an OPS of 1.025. In the circle, Katie Armstrong has pitched a team leading 12 innings with a 5.83 ERA and 16 strikeouts. As a team, the Gannon pitching staff currently has a 7.78 ERA. 

WVU TECH 
The Golden Bears are (3-2), winning their last three contests following an 0-2 start with losses to Barton College. Since their opening two defeats, WVU Tech has averaged six runs per game. 

Abby Gates is one of three Golden Bears with a home run this season, leading the team in average (.417) and tied for the team lead in hits with five. Though Macy Wilkens is batting just .188, she has already brought in 7 RBI to lead WVU Tech. Janney Scarlet (.333 AVG) and Olivia Barnett (.313 AVG) have also been reliable bats in the lineup. Taylor Dickerson is first on the team in ERA (4.50), IP (14.0) and strikeouts (15). 

INDIANA (PA.) 
The Hawks are (4-0) entering the weekend, opening the 2024 campaign with wins over MEC foes Wheeling and West Liberty. In the wins over the Wheeling, IUP scored 12 runs in game one and 19 runs in game two. 

Five Hawks are batting .500 or better with another swinging the bat at a .400 clip. Madison Pikula leads IUP with an average of .615 through 13 at bats so far this season. Jess Cekada (.583 AVG) is first on the team in home runs with two and Jaycie Haizde (.583 AVG) has 10 RBI, which is first on the squad. The pitching staff is led by Elizabeth Kasper, who has made two appearances and holds a 1.11 ERA in 6.1 IP. 

THE PIONEERS 
GLENVILLE STATE 
The Pioneers are coming off a (23-28, 15-17 MEC) 2023 season where GSU picked up a win at the MEC Tournament but would be eliminated by Charleston to end the season.  

Sara Scoone is in her fourth season leading the Glenville State Softball program. She led the Pioneers to their first MEC Tournament appearance since 2014 last year, coaching Holly Brehm to her second-consecutive 200-plus strikeout season, the first in program history to do so. Scoone played collegiately at West Virginia Wesleyan and was an assistant coach with the Bobcats for two seasons until she took over the Pioneers in 2021. 

GSU returns one of the best pitchers in the MEC in fifth-year standout and First Team All-MEC performer Holly Brehm as well as a key bat in Emma McLean, who led the team in HR (4) and was second in hits (43) and AVG (.297). The Pioneers will also have a plethora of production coming back in the circle and with the bats while adding a few transfers and a solid freshman class. 

The full weekend schedule can be found here. 

Fans can follow Glenville State Softball on Twitter (X) @GSU_SOFTBALL_ and Instagram @GSU_SOFTBALL_ to stay connected with the Pioneers and for news, score updates and many more all season long.