SALEM, Va. – West Virginia State downed Shepherd University in first day action of the  Mountain East Conference Softball Tournament at the Moyer Sports Complex on Thursday. The Yellow Jackets gained a 6-3 victory.

West Virginia State took a 4-0 lead in the third with a two-run double by Sydney Kaplan keying the rally.

Shepherd answered back with a run in the fourth. Sophomore outfielder Kass Taylor (Huntingtown, MD/Huntingtown) reached base on an error and later scored on a single off the bat of junior outfielder Tayler Schaefer (Dunkirk, Md./Northern).

State increased its lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the frame behind an RBI-double by Sabrina Schouten.

Shepherd cut the deficit to 5-3 with a pair of runs in the fifth. Freshman third baseman Alexandra Witt (Harpers Ferry, WV/Jefferson) and Taylor each smacked solo homers.

The Yellow Jackets added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth on a solo blast by Kaplan.

Junior first baseman Savannah Snyder (Elkton, MD/Padua Academy) and Taylor each had a pair of hits to lead the Rams.

Schouten went 3-for-4 and Kaplan went 2-for-3 to pace the Yellow Jackets.

Anna Eggleston (7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 8 K, 3 BB) (18-19) gained the win for the Yellow Jackets. Freshman pitcher Tara Hanson (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) (6.0 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 K, 1 BB) (9-11) took the loss for the Rams.

Shepherd falls to 21-28 overall, while West Virginia State improves to 26-25. The Rams will face the loser of today's West Virginia Wesleyan-Concord game at noon on Friday in second day tournament action.
                     
Box Score