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WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Katie Erb picked up a save in the opener then pitched five innings of one run softball in the nightcap to pick up the victory and lead West Chester to a double header sweep of Mansfield in PSAC Eastern Division action on a sunny and windy Monday afternoon at the South Campus Softball Field.
J.P. Norris homered to give West Chester a 3-2 come from behind victory in the opener, and the bats came alive to back Erb's strong pitching in a 9-1 six inning win in game two.
The Golden Rams (15-10, 4-2 PSAC East) spotted Mansfield two runs in first inning of game one, before storming back with three runs to capture the opener 3-2. Mansfield (9-5, 1-3 PSAC East) pitcher Kate Pratt fell victim to the windy conditions and was the tough luck loser in game one.
Kim Murl gave up two runs in the top of the first inning to start the day, then shutout the Mountaineers the rest of the way, before leaving with two outs in the seventh. Murl was cruising having retired eight straight and 14 of 15 batters, when a pair of seeing-eye singles put the tying run on second, prompting Head Coach Diane Lokey to make the call to the bullpen to bring in Erb. The sophomore recorded her third save of the season when she retired Courtney Bauder on a line-out to
Jess Shuck at second base to end the game.
West Chester tied the game in the second inning on a leadoff single from Murl, which was followed with a single by
Erin Quense, with two-outs,
Kim Begley doubled off the left field wall to bring home Murl and Quense to knot the contest at 2-2. Norris provided the final run of the game, when she homered to left to leadoff the third for West Chester, her second homerun in three games, to give the home team a 3-2 lead and victory.
Murl pitched 6 and two-thirds innings for the win to improve to 4-2 on the season allowing seven hits and two runs, while striking out five and walking only one. Pratt took the loss to fall to 3-2 on the season giving up three runs on six hits and two walks while recording seven strikeouts in six innings.
In game two, Mansfield opened the scoring in the first on a two out double by reigning PSAC East Athlete of the week Amanda Goodwin, but she was thrown out in a rundown between second and third base for the final out of the inning. West Chester tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a one out single to right by Murl scoring
Megan Kelly who had walked and stolen second.
The Golden Rams took control of the game with three runs in the second.
Jill Murray blasted a double in the tight center field gap to get things started, pinch runner
Shannon Gray scored to break the tie on an Ali Vavala single. Morris drew a walk and the two runners came home on a RBI grounder by Kelly and a throwing error.
Quense had a two RBI single to cap a four run fourth inning, her fourth hit in the two games, and Sarah Walasavage tripled to lead off the West Chester sixth and scored the game ending run on a wild pitch.
Erb went five innings allowing just the one run on five hits and one walk while striking out two for the win. Emily Crandell, who fell to 3-3 on the season, started and took with the loss for Mansfield.
The Golden Rams are back on the field tomorrow afternoon for a 2:30 p.m. first pitch, when PSAC East rival Shippensburg comes to town for another double-header.
