Box Score QUAKERTOWN, Pa. - Lauren Scarpato ran home with the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning to give No. 25 West Chester a 6-5 victory over Indiana (Pa.) in the opening game of the 2015 PSAC Tournament at Veteran's Park.
West Chester (39-12) trailed on three different occasions in the game, but managed to pull out the win and advance into the winner's bracket.
IUP scored a run in the top half of the ninth inning to take a 5-4 lead. However, Micaela McSpadden and Laura Altenburger led off the bottom of the ninth with a pair of singles. Erin Quense then singled in the tying run and moved up to second on the throw. Madison Kelly then walked to load the bases. Scarpato, who had entered the game as a pinch-runner, scurried home on a wild pitch to end the game.
The Crimson Hawks jumped out in front early on a three-run homer in the top of the first inning off Rams' left-handed starter Amanda Houck. However, West Chester quickly fought back with a two-run single by Sarah Walasavage in the bottom of the second inning. After IUP got one of those back in the top of the third, Walasavage singled in a run in the fourth, and Sarah Derstine singled home the tying run in the sixth.
Brooke Harner (11-7) relieved Houck in the fifth inning and went the rest of the way to pick up the win inside the circle. She yielded one run on two hits while walking one and striking out five.
Walasavage was 3-for-4 with three RBI while Kelly also finished 3-for-4. Altenburger went 2-for-5 at the plate.
West Chester takes on Seton Hill, who was a 5-1 winner over Kutztown, in its next game later Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
