WEST CHESTER, Pa.- The West Chester softball team (17-17, 4-4 PSAC) returned to action on Friday afternoon vs Bloomsburg in a PSAC East doubleheader with substantial playoff implications. While both West Chester and Bloomsburg entered the day in search of a sweep to bolster their respective playoff chances, the two teams split the doubleheader with Bloomsburg taking game one by a 4-2 final before West Chester rallied to take the nightcap by an 8-5 final to remain at .500 on the year overall and in PSAC action.
Game One: Bloomsburg 4 WCU 2
After a scoreless first inning, Bloomsburg got out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning courtesy of a two-run home run to left field, scoring the first runs of the game.
In the third, West Chester cut into the deficit when
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest) lined a single into center field, which scored
Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) and cut the deficit to 2-1. In the fourth,
Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) singled through the right side to score
Audrey Kochanowicz (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) and even the score at 2-2.
In the fifth, Bloomsburg broke the tie and took a 4-2 lead with a two-RBI single into left with two outs in the inning to take a 4-2 lead, which it would never relinquish in the game one victory.
Antonia Browning (Newark, Del./Charter School of Wilmington) (1-3) got the start and turned in the longest outing of her Golden Ram career, logging 4.2 innings pitched scattering four runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out four before exiting in favor of
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) who finished the game in the circle, pitching the final 2.1, striking out two while walking just one to keep West Chester in the game late.
Callie Sowers got the start for Bloomsburg and went the distance, tossing a seven-inning complete game surrendering just two runs on eight hits while walking a pair and striking out three to improve to 9-5 on the year.
Game Two: WCU 8 Bloomsburg 5
In the nightcap, Picozzi turned in a stellar pitching performance, entering I a jam in the top of the first with just one out pitching a solid five innings in relief, scattering just four hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out three in relief of
Anna Torrens (Holmes, Pa./Ridley) who got just one out and gave up two runs on three hits before being lifted for Picozzi.
With an early deficit after the top of the first, West Chester's offense went right to work, scoring four runs in the home half of the first to erase the deficit and take its first lead of the day. West Chester got one run back with an RBI single to center field from
Haleigh Karcher (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson), which scored Rittenbaugh to make the score 2-1. Picozzi and
Olivia Mock (Clifton, Va./Paul VI) followed this up with bases loaded walks to erase the deficit and give West Chester a 3-2 lead before Karcher found her way home via a wild pitch to give West Chester a 4-2 lead heading into the second.
In the second,
Emily Kim (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) kept the offense rolling for West Chester with an RBI single to left, which plated Melvin to extend the lead to 5-2 heading into the third.
In the third, West Chester and Bloomsburg traded runs as each side was able to push across one more thanks to an RBI groundout for bloomsburg and an RBI fielders choice from Rittenbaugh for West Chester as the Golden Rams held a 6-3 lead heading into the fourth.
After a scoreless fourth, Bloomsburg posted runs in the fifth and sixth innings to trim the deficit to just one run (6-5) heading into the home half of the sixth.
Desiring some insurance runs heading into the seventh as the Golden Rams looked to hold off the upset-minded Huskies, West Chester got just what it was looking for as
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest) scampered home on a wild pitch after singling through the left side to start the inning and advancing to third after a perfectly-placed bunt by Kim and subsequent Bloomsburg throwing error, stretching the lead to 7-5. West Chester added another run moments later when Karcher singled up the middle and Kim scored on yet another throwing error by the Huskies to give West Chester an 8-5 lead, which the Golden Rams would go on to win by.
Picozzi worked into the sixth inning before exiting in favor of Edwards after two of the first three batters of the frame reached. Edwards limited the damage well, allowing just one of the inherited Huskies to score before working out of further trouble, finishing with a final line of 1.2 with one hit and a pair of strikeouts to pick up her first save of the season and help West Chester to a split with the Huskies.
Up Next:
West Chester will be back in action tomorrow afternoon vs East Stroudsburg beginning at 12 p.m. The twinbill was moved up from 1 p.m. to 12 p.m. as a result of rain in the forecast for tomorrow afternoon.
