FLORENCE, S.C.- Following its third consecutive Atlantic Regional Title in 2021, the West Chester softball team (1-1) returned to action on Saturday afternoon in Florence, South Carolina at Francis Marion University (1-1). West Chester dropped the first game of the doubleheader, falling to its hosts by a 10-5 final before capturing the second game of the doubleheader in extra innings by a final score of 13-12.
In the first game of the afternoon, Francis Marion jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the home half of the first although just two of them were earned to take an early lead. In the top of the second, West Chester countered with two runs of its own as
Alexa Peterson (Exton, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) reached on a fielder's choice following a groundball to third base, which also allowed
Emily Kim (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) on a double down the left field line that hit off the base of the wall to open the second inning.
Haleigh Karcher (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) who had followed Kim's double with a single through the left side of the infield, scored later in the inning on a fielding error on a ground ball to second off the bat of
Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove) to trail by just one run with two outs in the second inning. Francis Marion escaped the inning with no further damage, leaving three Golden Rams on the bases, holding on to a narrow one-run lead entering the home half of the second.
In the home half of the third, Francis Marion added another run on a sac fly to center field before tracking on four more runs in the home half of the fourth, thanks to an RBI single, a SAC Fly to right center, and a two-RBI double into left center to take a commanding 8-2 lead into the fifth.
In the top of the fifth, Kim walked in a run, scoring Rittenbaugh who had reached via a walk earlier in the inning. Karcher followed this up with a SAC Fly to right to score
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest) who had reached on a single to left earlier in the inning, to trail by a score of 8-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
After a scoreless home half of the fifth, West Chester continued its comeback bid, as
Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) worked a walk to open the inning, which allowed her to score on an RBI groundout to shortstop off the bat of
Trisha Kopinetz (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) to trim the deficit to 8-5 with two outs in the sixth.
Francis Marion was able to extend its lead for the final time on the afternoon in the home half of the sixth, scoring a pair of runs on an RBI single down the third-base line to take a 10-5 lead, which it would go on to win by.
Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) (0-1) got the start in the circle and was tagged with the loss for West Chester on Saturday afternoon, tossing the first two innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) on three hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts.
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) made her Golden Ram debut on Saturday afternoon in relieve of Picozzi, going 1.2 innings surrendering four runs, and three hits while walking three in relief.
Anna Torrens (Holmes, Pa./Ridley) was the final Golden Ram in the circle in game one on Saturday, tossing 2.1 innings scattering four hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out a pair.
For Francis Marion, Janecia Heminway got the start and earned the victory in the circle, going 4.0 innings scattering seven hits with four runs (two earned) and two strikeouts while Casey Kurent earned the save, tossing the final 3.0 innings surrendering one hit and one unearned run with two walks and two strikeouts.
In the second game of the afternoon, Francis Marion threatened early loading the bases in the home half of the first, but
Antonia Browning (Newark, Del./Charter School of Wilmington) worked out of trouble to keep the Patriots off the scoreboard and leave three runners stranded on the base paths.
In the top of the second, Kim reached on a bunt single to open the frame before stealing second and eventually advancing to third with two outs in the inning.
Abigail Quinn (Cheltenham, Pa./William Penn Charter) made sure to drive her teammate home as she hit an inside the park home run to give the Golden Rams an early 2-0 lead heading into the home half of the second.
In the home half of the second, the Patriots threatened again, putting runners on second and third with just one out in the inning but a strikeout and groundout allowed the Golden Rams to escape the inning unharmed.
In the top of the third, West Chester showcased its game-changing speed to open the inning, as Melvin opened the frame with a bunt single down the third-base line before advancing to second on a single to left by Rittenbaugh. With the ever-dangerous Rittenbaugh and Melvin on first and second early in the inning, West Chester showed some of what head coach
Diane Lokey had discussed in her season preview, in showing aggression on the base paths. Rittenbaugh and Melvin executed a perfect double steal, which also allowed Melvin to scurry home following a throwing error by the Patriots catcher to take a 3-0 lead. The Golden Rams kept the good times going as Aguilar followed this up with a single to left to load the bases, which allowed Rittenbaugh to score on an RBI single to third off the bat of Kopinetz to make the score 4-0 and move Aguilar to third. Aguilar scurried home for the Golden Rams fifth run of the game moments later on a wild pitch, which moved Kopinetz to second, allowing her to score on an RBI single to right center off the bat of
Olivia Mock (Clifton, Va./Paul V Catholic), giving the Purple and Gold a commanding 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third.
In the home half of the third, Francis Marion loaded the bases yet again, this time making sure its early efforts paid off, scoring four runs of its own to counter the Golden Rams four-run top half to trim the deficit to 6-4 heading into the top of the fourth.
In the top of the fourth,
Madison Melvin made sure to extend the inning, coming through with a two-out single back to the pitcher, before stealing second to get herself into scoring position once again. The host Patriots managed to escape the inning without allowing Melvin to score to keep the score locked at 6-4 heading into the bottom of the fourth.
In the home half of the fourth, Francis Marion scored three more runs to erase its early deficit and take a 7-6 lead.
In the fifth, West Chester countered with a two-RBI double off the bat of Mock to score Kim and
Asia Barnard (Levittown, Pa./Meshaminy) to give West Chester back an 8-7 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth. Francis Marion did not trail for long as the Patriots responded quickly with a run of their own in the home half to even the score at 8-8 heading into the sixth.
After a scoreless sixth inning and with the game appearing destined to go into the bottom of the seventh deadlocked at 8-8 with two outs in the seventh, Mock singled up the middle, which
Sierra Marsteller (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) followed up with a single to right to move Mock to second with two outs in the inning. Next, Peterson pinch hit for
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca), reaching on a fielding error by the Patriots third baseman to load the bases. With a 2-0 count against her,
Madison Melvin laced a single down the first-base line, scoring Mock and giving the Golden Rams back a 9-8 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, refusing to go down quietly, Francis Marion placed runners on second and third with just one out in the inning. West Chester was able to get the second out of the inning at the plate on a fielders choice but Francis Marion evened the score at 9-9, scoring on a wild pitch to force extra innings.
In the top half of the eighth inning, Rittenbaugh who was placed on second to begin the inning, made an immediate impact, advancing to third on a wild pitch before scoring on an RBI double from Kopinetz to give West Chester back a 10-9 lead before Francis Marion evened the score at 10-10 in the home half with an RBI double of its own.
Following a similar formula to its eighth inning run, Mock was placed on second to start the inning and found her way over to third shortly thereafter on a wild pitch before scoring on an RBI single from
Madison Melvin to make the score 11-10 heading to the home half of the ninth.
Not to be outdone, Francis Marion responded quickly, evening the score at 11-11 to send the game onto the 10
th inning.
In the top of the 10
th, Kopinetz laced a double into center field scoring Aguilar and Rittenbaugh to give West Chester a 13-11 lead. Francis Marion answered back with a run of its own in the home half but could not complete the comeback, falling to West Chester by a 13-12 final score.
Browning got the start in the circle, making her first appearance as a Golden Ram, tossing the first three innings surrendering four runs on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts before exiting in favor of Picozzi. Picozzi entered and gave the Golden Rams 0.2 of an inning, surrendering four hits and three runs (two earned) before exiting in favor of Torrens. Torrens tossed the next five innings scattering seven hits and four runs (one earned) with two walks and two strikeouts to keep the game going.
Summer Williams (Middletown, Del./Appoquinimink) entered in relief of Torrens in extra innings, pitching the final 1.1 scattering one hit and one unearned run to help the Golden Rams to the victory and earn her first win of the young season.
For Francis Marion, Hemingway who earned the victory in game one was saddled with the loss as she tossed the final 4.1 innings, giving up five runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts to fall to 1-1 on the year.
West Chester will have little time to recover from a long day of softball as the Golden Rams return to action early tomorrow at Barton with first pitch in that doubleheader set for 11 a.m. in Wilson, N.C.
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