WEST PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- The softball program at Shawnee State overcame a 6-4 setback in the opening game of a doubleheader against the Midway Eagles' softball program with a mercy-rule triumph in Game 2 -- as Shawnee State notched a 12-3 triumph over Midway (Ky.) thanks to 11 RBI at the plate between freshman third baseman Sydney Skiver and senior talents Cameryn Davidson and Genavie Espinoza Tuesday afternoon at Doc Singleton Park in West Portsmouth.

Game Summaries

Shawnee State, who posted 23 hits total in the doubleheader, notched eight extra base hits Tuesday as the Bears (6-8, 4-4 River States Conference) hit the ball well up and down the order in Tuesday's split.

In addition to nabbing 23 hits as a team, the softball program also received yet another complete game from Emma Wargel -- who fired her third consecutive complete game outing in Tuesday's 12-3 mercy rule win in Game 2. Wargel countered Midway's six hits as a team in the doubleheader-capping game by nabbing a season-high six punchouts in the senior's third consecutive win.

Along with Wargel's Game 2 outing, the Shawnee State defense failed to commit an error in their 21 defensive chances Tuesday as a group.

Game 1

In Tuesday's opener, Shawnee State wasted no time striking -- as the Bears, through leadoff singles from Sierra Dunnagan and Jenna Christopher to begin matters, struck first with Mackenzie Hale's two-out RBI base knock driving in Christopher for the game's opening run to put Shawnee State ahead by a 1-0 margin after an inning of work.

Despite Shawnee State's efforts in holding onto the lead, which included Genavie Espinoza working out of a jam with runners on second and third with two out in the fourth frame, Midway was able to counter with three runs each in the fifth and sixth stanzas as the Eagles collected a 6-1 edge behind three runs apiece in both frames.

However, the Bears didn't give in -- and made matters interesting again in the seventh -- as singles by Cam Davidson and Emily Cheatham helped turn the lineup back over to Dunnagan -- who proceeded to crank a three-run blast over the center field fence for her first home run of the 2025 season, allowing Shawnee State to put pressure on Midway as the Bears trailed the Eagles by a scant 6-4 gap at this juncture.

Christopher than followed Dunnagan's three-run bomb by reaching again, driving a single back up the middle of the diamond to put the potential tying run, Genavie Espinoza, at the plate. However, Espinoza couldn't cash in -- as the senior hit a bullet of a shot that was caught by Midway relief pitcher Kendra Jennings. With Christopher running on contact, Jennings was able to fire to first base for the game-ending double play to give Shawnee State the two-run win.

For the contest, Dunnagan (2-for-4, home run, three RBI, run scored), Christopher (3-for-4, stolen base, run scored) and Davidson (2-for-3, run scored) all joined the multi-hit column while Hale (1-for-3, RBI), Cheatham (1-for-3, run scored) and Emily Moore (1-for-3) all produced in the lineup.

Game 2

Even though the Bears suffered the doubleheader-opening setback, Shawnee State left nothing to chance in its Game 2 triumph over Midway.

In the opening inning alone, Shawnee State batted around -- as Sierra Dunnagan's leadoff double down the left field line was followed by a steal of third by Dunnagan and a one-out RBI single by Cam Davidson that scored Dunnagan, helping the Bears claim a 1-0 advantage with just one out on the board in the bottom half of the first inning.

Following Davidson's single, each of the next four batters behind Shawnee State's three-hole hitter in Game 2 all reached, as Mackenzie Hale's single back up the center of the diamond and a walk by Emily Moore loaded the bases for Genavie Espinoza, who drove in two RBI with her base hit to left center field, and Sydney Skiver, who added in two more RBI with two runners on base in a lined shot to right center field.

By inning's end, Shawnee State already had five runs on five hits en route to a 5-0 cushion after the opening frame.

The Bears would only build on that lead from there -- as in the second inning, Dunnagan's walk and Christopher's single allowed Davidson to drive in both of Shawnee State's second inning salvos to push the lead to 7-0 after two innings of work with her two-RBI base knock in the frame. Dunnagan then came up big yet again in the third, taking full advantage of an Emily Cheatham free pass with an RBI double to right center field that gave Shawnee State an eight-run lead after the third inning of work.

While Midway answered with a salvo in the top half of the fourth inning to cut Shawnee State's lead only slightly to an 8-1 gap, the Bears effectively put the game all but out of reach in the bottom of the fourth frame, as Davidson's walk and Hale's single back up the middle was followed by an RBI single from Espinoza that scored Davidson. The next batter, Skiver, then wasted no time putting a ball toward the parked vehicles beyond the fence as the freshman from Wheelersburg cranked a three-run bomb over the right field fence to appropriately conclude the score with her first career home run as a Shawnee State talent -- capping a four-run fourth for Shawnee State.

In all, five players enjoyed multi-hit performances -- including Skiver (2-for-3, home run, double, five RBI, run scored), Dunnagan (2-for-2, two doubles, walk, stolen base, RBI, two runs scored), Davidson (2-for-2, walk, three RBI, two runs scored), Hale (3-for-3, double, two runs scored) and Espinoza (2-for-3, double, three RBI, two runs scored). Christopher (1-for-3, run scored) and Cheatham (1-for-2, walk, run scored) also joined the aforementioned quintet in the hit column in Tuesday's triumph.

Additional

With Tuesday's split, Shawnee State (6-8, 4-4 River States Conference) held firm on its positioning as a top-five unit in the River States Conference through the first eight conference games of the 2025 season. The Bears will have a chance to climb the conference ladder Friday and Saturday when Shawnee State takes on Oakland City Friday afternoon in a 2 p.m. doubleheader and Brescia Saturday afternoon in a 1 p.m. twinbill. Both RSC doubleheaders will be at Doc Singleton Park in West Portsmouth.