Box Score
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Erin MacNamee doubled home the eventual game-winning run in the top of the sixth inning, giving visiting West Chester a 4-3 lead, when the first game of the scheduled doubleheader was halted in the bottom of the seventh with host Philadelphia University at bat on a rainy and cold Wednesday afternoon.
Philadelphia University (12-17) had the bases loaded with one out in its final at bats when the game was called, handing West Chester (25-16) the non-league win. The Golden Rams had scored four runs in the top half of the seventh inning, and led 8-3, when the game was called. However, those runs are taken off the board and the score reverts back to the last fully completed inning.
Game two was rained out.
MacNamee’s two-out double chased home Kim Begley, who was running for Jessica Schuck, to break a 3-3 tie. Schuck struck out in her at bat, but reached first base on a dropped third strike by the Rams’ catcher. Nicole Cruts singled, moving Begley up to second, and two batters later, MacNamee hit a double over the centerfielder’s head, scoring Begley.
PhilaU had tied the game at 3-apiece in the bottom half of the fifth inning on a two-out double by Danielle Parisi.
West Chester scored single runs in both the first and second innings. Jessica Norris had a RBI groundout in the first, and MacNamee hit a RBI single in the second to stake the visitors to a 2-0 lead.
Devon Utterback (12-5) went the distance inside the circle for the win. She allowed three runs, two of them earned, on five hits. She walked three and struck out five. Ally Vrcek (2-6) was the hard-luck loser for PhilaU. She went the distance, striking out nine and yielding three earned runs on six hits.
West Chester hosts Millersville on Friday, April 15 for a PSAC East doubleheader on South Campus. Friday will be Senior Day for the softball team. The Golden Rams will honor their three seniors in a brief pre-game ceremony. It will also be “strikeout cancer” day at West Chester. Donations will be taken up to support breast cancer research.
