Eight Run Fourth Helps West Chester to a Split At Shippensburg

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SHIPPENSGURG, Pa. – Jill Murray and Megan Kelly each knocked in two runs in an eight run fourth inning in game 1 that ended a 17 inning scoreless streak and propelled West Chester University softball to a doubleheader split with Shippensburg University in PSAC East action Saturday at afternoon at Robb Field.

The Golden Rams (29-16, 16-8 PSAC East) won the opener 10-1 in 5 innings to capture 3 out of 4 contests from the Raiders this season. Shippensburg (26-10, 12-8 PSAC East) defeated West Chester for the first time this season with an 8-1 win in the finale.

Trailing 1-0 and not having a base runner through three innings, after being shut out twice at Millersville on Friday, the Rams exploded for eight runs on seven hits.
J.P. Norris started the top of the fourth with a single, Kelly Anderson then reached on a bunt single and Jess Schuck walked to load the bases. Kim Murl tied the game with a single through the left side and Murray added a 2 RBI single to left to make it a 3-1 score. After a pitching change, Erin Quense singled to stretch the lead to 4-1, and Kelly doubled to right center to score two.

A pair of unearned runs left West Chester with an 8-1 lead when the dust settled.
Kim Begley singled to make it 9-1 in the fifth and Kelly added a sacrifice fly for the final score of 10-1 with the game ending after five innings.
Murl improved to 11-4 on the year scattering six hits over five innings allowing just a run. Liz Parkins started and took the loss for the Raiders.

In the nightcap Shippensburg scored two runs in the first and four more off three West Chester pitchers in the second en route to an 8-1 victory. Ali Vavala had the lone RBI in the defeat.

Emily Estep improved to 16-2 with the victory allowing eight hits and striking out seven in going the distance. Micaela McSpadden lasted only an inning and one batter into the second to suffer her second loss of the season against nine victories, giving up three runs.

The Golden Rams will travel to Philadelphia for a non-league twinbill on Tuesday against the University of the Sciences before returning home for the final time in the regular season on Friday in another PSAC doubleheader with East Stroudsburg.