SALEM, Va. — Prior to the start of the this week’s Mountain East Conference Softball Championship, University of Charleston ace Addison Mass was recognized as the league’s 2025 Pitcher of the Year.
After the four-day, 15-game tournament held at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex, Mass received another honor Saturday evening as she and her UC teammates celebrated a conference title.
For her efforts, Mass was named Tournament Most Valuable Player.
After back-to-back shutouts Friday, Mass dominated again in Saturday’s title games. West Liberty entered in the driver’s seat, with the Golden Eagles needing to win one game and force a winner-take-all matchup. Mass blanked the Hilltoppers in the first game, and then fired seven more innings of two-run ball in the finale to boost UC to the tournament title and automatic qualifier for NCAA play.
Game 14 — Charleston 2, West Liberty 0
The teams were scoreless through six innings before the Golden Eagles had an offensive breakthrough. In the top of the seventh, Kayla Moran and Hannah Meyer singled in consecutive at-bats, and then Ella Zucchero doubled down the left-field line to drive both runners in and give Mass all the support she would need.
Mass, a 5-foot-10 junior from Ringwood, Illinois, allowed two hits and walked two in the complete game shutout — her third consecutive of the tournament. She also ran her scoreless innings streak to 22 games entering the decisive game.
Game 15 — Charleston 4, West Liberty 2
The final game was twice interrupted by a weather delay, the second of which was well over an hour stoppage. But UC quickly built a 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI groundout by Raegan West and RBI triple by Taylor Hodson.
The Golden Eagles grew the lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Moran drilled a home run over the right-field fence.
West Liberty, however, finally got to Mass after an extended delay. In the bottom of the fourth, Sara Simon doubled and Jillian Morr walked. After a pair of strikeouts, Jaden Conrad walked to load the bases, and then Alayna Cook walked to force a run in. Emily Allen then singled to pull the Hilltoppers with a run, 3-2, before Mass got out of the jam.
UC responded promptly when Allison Rubal homered in the top of the fifth, and Mass regained control to lead the Golden Eagles to the MEC title.
2025 MEC All-Tournament Team
Kylie Burdick, Glenville State
Alexa Foresha, Fairmont State
Delaney Haller, Fairmont State
Ashlyn Tapman, West Liberty
Kadence Pettit, West Liberty
Sydney Johnson, West Liberty
Sara Simon, West Liberty
Kyra Gooler, Charleston
Allison Rubal, Charleston
Hannah Meyer, Charleston
Tournament MVP: Addison Mass, Charleston