Softball Hits Seven Home Runs to Beat IUP 18-2

GLENVILLE, W. Va. Home runs were the name of the game as the West Chester softball team defeated Indiana (Pa.) 18-2 in five innings on Saturday. West Chester hit for seven home runs, the highest single-game total during head coach Diane Lokey's tenure with West Chester. Following the victory, West Chester is now 2-3 on the season while IUP is 0-1 following their season opener.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Golden Rams struck first and fast as they scored six runs in the bottom of the first. After Bri Garber (Willow Street, Pa. / Lampeter-Strasburg) and Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N. J. / Seneca) each got on in their first at bat, Emily Maseth (Westminster, Md. / Westminster) stepped up to the plate and her first home run of the day, a three-run shot. Trisha Kopinetz (Pine Grove, Pa. / Pine Grove), Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del. / Lake Forest), and Emily Kim (       Bel Air, Md. / C. Milton Wright) all scored later in the inning.
• IUP responded in the top of the second, putting up two runs.
• West Chester hit three home runs in the bottom of the second to increase their lead. First, Courtney Stump (Kutztown, Pa. / Kutztown) and Kopinetz hit back-to-back solo home runs. Then, with two runners on, Maseth hit her second home run of the day capping off the seven-run second inning for West Chester.
• In the bottom of the third, Kopinetz hit her second homer of the day as West Chester scored three runs, increasing their lead to 16-2.
• Stump and Kopinetz went yard back-to-back for the second time of the day to increase West Chester's lead to 18-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
• Senior Reilly Gearhart (Lancaster, Pa. / Manheim Township) finished her complete game with a scoreless fifth inning

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Kopinetz hit 4-for-4 with three home runs, four runs, and three RBI's.
• Maseth was 2-for-3 with two home runs, seven RBI's, two runs, and a walk.
• Stump's hit two home runs going 2-for-4 overall with two RBI's.
• Aguilar went 1-for-1 with two walks as she scored three runs.
• Gearhart pitched a complete game, going all five innings while allowing two runs on five hits and striking out six batters.

OUTSIDE THE BOX:

• Kopinetz's three-home run day is the program's highest individual game total during Lokey's tenure as head coach at West Chester.
• Garber is now seven hits away from tying the program record for most career hits set by Erin MacNamee.

 
The Golden Rams are back at it at 3 p.m. as they face off against West Virginia State University.