PITTSBURGH – In a pivotal Mountain East Conference doubleheader with postseason implications,
Mia Arndt delivered the biggest swing of the day as Point Park earned a split with West Virginia State on Sunday afternoon at Fairhaven Park.
The day began with the 2026 Senior Day ceremony, as the Pioneers honored two four-year players for their dedication to the program. With both teams battling for positioning in the race for a spot in the MEC Softball Tournament in Salem, Virginia, the stakes were evident from the first pitch. The twin bill featured timely hitting, clutch pitching, and momentum swings throughout.
GAME ONE: POINT PARK 5, WEST VIRGINIA STATE 4
W: Johnson (6-13) | L: Hall (3-2)
West Virginia State wasted no time putting pressure on the Pioneers, sending eight batters to the plate in the opening inning. Autumn Hall ignited the offense with a one-out single and later scored on a Cassidy Cummings base hit. Emily Bechtel and Avery Contreras followed with RBI singles of their own, giving the Yellow Jackets a quick 3-0 advantage.
Point Park responded immediately. Mia Arndt worked a leadoff walk and stole second. Ava Hubble continued her strong weekend with an RBI double to center, and Emma Henry followed with a run-scoring double of her own, trimming the deficit to 3-2 after one.
The Pioneers kept the pressure on in the second inning, capitalizing on two-out hitting. Arndt laced a double into the gap, and Hubble drove her in for the second time in as many innings. Cam Mann added a single, and Gianna Welsh followed with a base hit to center that, combined with a fielding miscue, allowed Hubble to score and give Point Park a 4-3 lead.
From there, the game settled into a tense pitcher's duel, highlighted by a defining moment in the fifth inning. West Virginia State loaded the bases with no outs, threatening to flip the game. Julia Johnson rose to the occasion, inducing a ground ball that resulted in a force out at home before retiring the next two hitters on fly balls to escape the jam and preserve the lead.
Arndt provided a crucial insurance run in the bottom half of the inning, showcasing her power with a solo home run to right-center—her fifth of the season—to extend the advantage to 5-3.
The Yellow Jackets made one final push in the seventh. After a key defensive play by Jana Hess at first base for the opening out, Olivia Bell connected on a solo home run to cut the deficit to one. A fielding error and a single put the tying run in scoring position, but Johnson remained composed, inducing a game-ending double play to secure the victory.
Hubble led the Pioneers offensively, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Arndt finished 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored. Johnson earned the complete-game win, as she struck out one and gave up four runs all earned. Hall took the loss for the Yellow Jackets giving up five runs, four earned, in four innings of work
GAME TWO: WEST VIRGINIA STATE 7, POINT PARK 1
W: Green (3-7) | L: Henry (1-13)
The second game began as a tightly contested matchup before West Virginia State gradually took control. After a scoreless first inning, Bell doubled and later scored on an RBI double from Contreras to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead.
West Virginia State extended its advantage in the third inning as Bell delivered again, driving in two runs with a single to center to make it 3-0. The Yellow Jackets continued to build momentum in the fifth, with Baylee Smith's two-run double stretching the lead further.
Bell capped off her standout day at the plate with her second home run of the afternoon in the fifth inning, pushing the lead to 6-0. West Virginia State added another run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Hall.
Point Park avoided the shutout in the bottom of the seventh when Ava Hubble launched her first career home run to left field, providing a late bright spot for the Pioneers.
Adrianna Green delivered a strong complete-game performance for West Virginia State, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out five. Emma Henry took the loss for Point Park, while Hubble provided solid relief work over the final three innings.
With the split, Point Park moves to 9-29 overall and 3-17 in MEC play, while West Virginia State improves to 18-22 and 7-13 in conference action.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Gianna Welsh (Colliers, Pa.) is a Biological Sciences major with a concentration in Bioinformatics, along with minors in Chemistry, Psychology, and Behavioral Science. She plans to pursue a Master's in Public Health Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh.
Kaylee Fabiano (McKees Rocks, Pa.) is a Criminal Justice major with a minor in Forensic Science. She plans to attend the police academy to become a state trooper, with aspirations of eventually joining the FBI.
UP NEXT
Point Park continues its homestand on Wednesday as it hosts Salem at Fairhaven Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
