West Chester Staves off Elimination Defeats Shippensburg 4-0

QUAKERTOWN, Pa.- Facing elimination the West Chester University softball team squared off against Shippensburg in a must-win game. West Chester ultimately won by a final score of 4-0.
 
The first three innings were tightly contested as neither team could must much offensively, which sent the game to the fourth inning tied at 0-0. In the top of the fourth, West Chester finally broke through for the first run of the game as the Golden Rams loaded the bases, which allowed pinch runner Ali LaRosa (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) to score via a bases loaded walk from Heidi McCollester (West Chester, Pa./Henderson),thus, giving West Chester the lead.
Sara Ercolani (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) added to the lead in the top of the sixth when she drove a two-run home run over the right center field fence to score Cat Hammer (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), which gave West Chester the 3-0 lead. Emily Maseth (Westminster, Md./Westminster) followed this up with a tape measure shot of her own that cleared the scoreboard in left field to give West Chester a 4-0 lead. This three run outburst closed the book on Shippensburg starting pitcher Taryn Wilson who went five innings surrendering seven hits and four runs while walking three and striking out two. Courtney Coy entered in relief of Wilson and escaped the sixth inning striking out one while not allowing any further damage. Coy ultimately finished the game going the final two innings surrendering just one hit while striking out two.
 
Amanda Houck (Gap, Pa./Pequea Valley) got the start inside the circle once again and she went the distance ending the game allowing just four hits while striking out three to earn the bounce back victory.
 
West Chester will be back in action tomorrow afternoon opposite Seton Hill beginning at 3 p.m. West Chester will need to win twice tomorrow in order to stave off elimination and play for its second consecutive conference title on Saturday afternoon.