CLERMONT, Fl.- The West Chester University softball team (6-5) was back in action on Friday afternoon against Stonehill College (2-6) in the squads opening day at the PFX Games in Clermont, Florida. West Chester captured game one by a final score of 4-0 before taking game two by a final of 3-1.
Game One:
- In the bottom of the first, Bri Garber (Willow Street, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) led things off with an infield single to give the Golden Rams a runner on first to start the inning. Emily Maseth (Westminster, Md./Westminster) continued to swing a hot bat as she doubled to left, which scored Garber to give the Golden Rams a 1-0 lead. Maseth followed this up by stealing third, which enabled her to score on an RBI groundout by Heidi McCollester (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) to give the Golden Rams an early 2-0 lead.
- In the home half of the fifth, West Chester threatened with a two-out rally as the Golden Rams used a bunt single from Garber and a pair of walks from Annamarie Hartman (Phoenix, Ariz./Xavier College Prep) and Maseth to load the bases with two outs. McCollester was next and she worked a walk of her own to bring home Garber and extend the lead to 3-0 in favor of the purple and gold. The lead grew moments later due to a costly fielding error by the shortstop as Hartman found her way home to give West Chester a commanding 4-0 lead.
- Reilly Gearhart (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township)Â (3-3) earned the win in the circle after going seven-shutout innings allowing just one hit while striking out six.
Game Two:
- The second contest of the day was a low scoring affair once again as the two sides locked in a pitcher's duel that West Chester managed to capture by a final score of 3-1.
- Stonehill got on the board first in the home half of the second to take an early 1-0 lead.
- In the third inning, West Chester scored its first run of the game after Emily Kim (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) reached on a single and used some smart base running to find her way to third with just one out. Kim scored moments later off a sac fly from Bri Garber (Willow Street, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) to even the score at 1-1.
- In the fifth inning, Garber scored a run of her own after creative base running that enabled her to score on a fielding error off the bat of Hartman to make the score 2-1.
- McCollester grew the lead moments later with a double to left center that plated Maseth, which extended the lead to 3-1 in favor of the purple and gold.
- Kelly Tinsman (Ewing, N.J./Notre Dame) earned the victory in the circle surrendering just one run on four hits and one walk while striking out a pair.
Up Next:
West Chester will be back in action on Saturday morning beginning at 9 a.m. against Notre Dame before facing Fairmont State at 11:30.
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