West Chester Forces A Decisive Third Game; Falls Short In End

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
WCU Post-Game Press Conference

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Brooke Harner (Chadds Ford, Pa./Kennett) came on in relief in the first game and pitched host West Chester to a 3-2 victory. However, visiting West Virginia Wesleyan took the nightcap 10-1 in five innings, to claim the Atlantic Region title, 2 games to 1, Friday afternoon on South Campus.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan (49-8) advances to its first NCAA Division II National Championships round, which will get under way Memorial Day Weekend in Salem, Va. The Bobcats earned their first trip to the championship round in its fourth consecutive try in a Super Regional.
 
West Chester (48-13) sees its 2017 campaign come to a close, tying the school record for wins in a single season at 48. The Golden Rams also won 48 games one year ago.
 
Sayaka Foley (18-3) limited the Golden Rams to just three hits in the third and final game of the Super Regional, pitching her team to the title. Alyssa Herion's (Avon Grove, Pa./Avon Grove) solo shot in the bottom of the first inning was the lone mark against Foley in the win.
 
Harner started the second game of Friday's doubleheader, which was the third game in the series, but lasted just 1.1 innings. She allowed one run on four hits and walked a batter. Amanda Houck (Gap, Pa./Pequea Valley) came on and went the rest of the way, but picked up the loss inside the circle. She surrendered nine runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out four.
 
Harner (8-3) picked up the win in relief in the first game Friday. She tossed four scoreless innings in relief, scattering two hits. Houck (34-6) started the game, but lasted just three innings. She gave up two runs, one of them earned, on four hits.
 
Sr., CF Sarah Walasavage (Minersville, Pa./Minersville) went 2-for-3 in the opener and scored a pair of runs.