BUCKHANNON, WV – The Winston-Salem State Rams (30-22) gave a great effort, but the team came up short in a hard-fought 3-0 loss to the top-seeded host West Virginia Wesleyan College Bobcats (51-8) in the opening round of the 2016 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament. The played a solid game on both sides of the ball, but the team fell victim some quality Bobcat offense and defense in the tough loss.

As a team, the Rams struggled to find their offensive groove as they produced just four hits in the game, including a hit on the final play. WSSU junior first base Katherine Zimmer and sophomore designated player Tiarra Delaney led the way for the Rams with two-for-three performances at the plate. Making things worse for the Rams were a pair of fielding errors that proved costly as they were key factors in WVWC scores in the game.

Things looked good early for the Rams as the team was able to keep the Bobcats off the scoreboard for much of the game's early going. It was in the third inning when the WSSU struggles began as the Bobcats scored on an RBI ground out that left the Rams trailing for the first time in the game. The Bobcats' struggles continued in the fifth inning when West Virginia Wesleyan scored on an RBI single which was followed by an RBI double.

Unfortunately, the Rams were unable to answer the three Bobcat scores and ended the game with the hard-fought loss when sophomore Tiarra Delaney hit a single, but was called out at second when she looked to stretch the hit into a double.

WSSU junior pitcher Mercedes Hargett (20-11) took the pitching loss, going six innings with three runs allowed (three earned) on eight WVWC hits. She also recorded a strikeout and a walk.

With the loss, the Rams fall to 30-22 and will enter the elimination round of the tournament. The team will take on the Bloomsburg Huskies in an elimination game at 7:30 p.m. at Culpepper Field on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College.

For more information on Rams softball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.