Postgame Press Conference
Full Replay
DENVER, CO.- On the heels of one of the biggest and most exciting comebacks in program history, the West Chester University softball team (40-22) was back in action on a sun-splashed Saturday afternoon vs Young Harris (44-19). West Chester and Young Harris battled throughout the afternoon in what was a great pitchers duel throughout the contest but Young Harris managed to push a run across in the fifth and sixth innings to clam the 2-0 victory.
This loss brings West Chester's impressive 2019 season to its conclusion as the fourth team eliminated from the National Finals field this week after dispatching UC San Diego in exciting fashion a night ago. West Chester can also enjoy ending its season north of the 40-win plateau yet again, which marks the sixth year in a row that West Chester has finished above 40 wins.
"Suffering this loss against an immensely talented Young Harris team is certainly tough but I have to give their pitcher a lot of credit as she really did a great job of keeping us off balance all day and not giving us much to hit throughout the game" opened Lokey. "At the beginning of the season, a lot of people did not give us much of a chance of getting back to this point but I am so proud of how hard this group worked and came together to overcome so much adversity all season long and get back to the National Finals for the second year in a row" stated the Golden Rams veteran mentor.
Young Harris opened the game with a double off the top of the left field wall from leadoff hitter and DP Morgan Curley, however, Maegen Kavanagh (Easton, Pa./Easton) worked around the leadoff double to hold Young Harris scoreless heading to the home half of the first. This also marked the first time in the National Finals that West Chester escaped the first inning without surrendering a run to its opposition.
In the home half of the first, Emily Maseth (Westminster, Md./Westminster) answered back with a double of her own to give West Chester an early opportunity once again. Unfortunately, this double came with two outs, which enabled Young Harris starting pitcher Nikkie Kovalsky to work around the base runner as well to keep us locked at 0-0 heading to the second inning.
Young Harris continued to threaten during the top of the second but Kavanagh once again worked around her base runners to keep the score locked at 0-0 heading to the home half of the second.
In the home half of the second, West Chester threatened once again as the Golden Rams got a runner to second base with two outs once again courtesy of a double from Gillian Thomas (Spring MIlls, W.V./Williamsport) but Young Harris walked the tightrope once again to send the contest to the third even at 0-0.
Young Harris continued to threaten during the top of the third but West Chester continued to play well defensively to keep the score locked at 0-0 heading to the home half of the third.
In the top of the fifth inning, Young Harris loaded the bases with just one out and the Mountain Lions did manage to push one run across via an RBI SAC Fly to right, which gave the guests the 1-0 lead midway through the contest.
In the sixth, Young Harris doubled its lead via an RBI single back up the middle to give the Mountain Lions a 2-0 lead in the late stages of the contest.
In the top of the seventh, Young Harris struck once more with a two-RBI double to increase the lead to 4-0 in favor of the Mountain Lions heading to the home half of the seventh.
"Going from being a walk-on four years ago to being part of a team like this and to having opportunities like this is amazing and is something that I am so grateful for" stated senior catcher and captain Heidi McCollester (West Chester, Pa./Henderson). "I am absolutely confident that this is far from the end for this group as it such a talented team and there is no doubt in my mind that this just the beginning of the success for this team moving into the future" concluded McCollester.
Kavanagh (12-5) pitched well overall for the Golden Rams as she tossed 5.1 innings scattering just five hits and one run while walking three and striking out five before exiting in the sixth with runners on first and second and no outs. Jen Hanshaw (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) entered in relief of Kavanagh and finished the game in the circle tossing the final 1.2 surrendering three hits and two unearned runs with one walk and one strikeout in the Golden Rams season ending setback.
Kovalsky was impressive throughout the afternoon for Young Harris as she went the distance in the circle to record her 27th complete game and 12th shutout of the season scattering just three hits in the victory.
