WEST CHESTER, Pa.- A pair of seventh inning rallies came up just short and the West Chester softball team (12-14, 0-2 PSAC) dropped its PSAC opening doubleheader vs Millersville (14-14, 2-0 PSAC) on Saturday afternoon. West Chester led only briefly in the doubleheader, holding a slim 4-3 lead midway through the second game of the doubleheader after dropping game one by a 7-6 final before falling in the second game by a 5-4 final score.
Game One: Millersville 7 WCU 6
In the top of the first, Millersville jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, which the Marauders would never fully relinquish.
In the home half of the inning, West Chester cut into the deficit with an RBI double from
Emily Kim (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) to plate
Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove), cutting the deficit to 4-1.
In the top of the third, Millersville tacked on three more runs, extending its lead to 7-1 heading into the bottom of the third.
In the bottom of the third,
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest) doubled home
Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca), cutting the deficit to 7-2 heading into the fourth.
After a pair of scoreless innings, Kim chipped away at the deficit once again in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single, which scored Melvin
, making the score 7-3 heading into the seventh.
In the seventh inning, West Chester mounted a comeback, pulling back to within one following an RBI single from Aguilar, which scored
Asia Bernard (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) and moved
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) up to third. The aggressive base running by Melvin and Aguilar, which led to her making it up to second on the throw, allowed the duo to come around to score on a double from Kim moments later, cutting the deficit to 7-6. West Chester loaded the bases after this courtesy of a Millersville error and a walk by
Trisha Kopinetz (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove), bringing up
Olivia Mock (Clifton, Va./Paul V). Mock hit a hard line drive down the first-base line but the Marauders first baseman made a tremendous snare, which prevented the ball from going down the line and got the crucial final out for the Marauders as they escaped with a 7-6 game one victory.
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) got the start and got just one out, surrendering four runs on three hits before exiting in favor of
Anna Torrens (Holmes, Pa./Ridley) who entered and pitched the next 5.2, surrendering just three runs on four hits while striking out four.
Antonia Browning (Newark, Del./Charter School of Wilmington) entered in relief for the seventh and pitched an efficient inning, getting through the Marauders 1,2,3 to keep the score where it was heading into the seventh inning.
Alex Schaefer got the start for Millersville and earned the victory, going the distance scattering six runs on 11 hits while striking out five to earn her sixth victory of the Spring.
Game Two: Millersville 5 WCU 4
In the first inning, Millersville jumped out to an early 2-0 lead courtesy of an two-run home run over the left field fence.
In the bottom of the third, West Chester threatened, getting runners on first and second before Millersville worked out of danger to hold on to a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth. In the top of the fifth, Millersville added another run via a solo home run to center field, taking a 3-0 lead in the middle innings.
In the home fifth, West Chester broke through, scoring four runs in the inning, beginning with a two-RBI double from Rittenbaugh to left, followed by a successful sac bunt from Kim and a throwing error by the Marauders catcher, which allowed Rittenbaugh to scamper home and tie the game at 3-3. Kopinetz followed this up with a single up the middle to give West Chester a 4-3 lead heading into the sixth.
In the top of the sixth, Millersville answered back with yet another home run, a two-run shot to left, erasing the deficit and retaking a 5-4 lead. In the home half, West Chester saw its first two batters of the inning reach before loading the bases with one out but was unable to capitalize as Millersville escaped the jam with a slim one-run lead.
In the home half of the seventh, West Chester threatened once again, getting its first two batters of the inning on via singles, closing the book on the Millersville starter Morgan Crutcher, who ended the day with a final line of 10 hits and four runs (three earned) with three walks and two strikeouts in the victory. Game one starter Schaefer entered in relief and loaded the bases but was able to work around the Golden Rams after this, striking out two of the next three before getting Aguilar to fly out to straightaway center field to end the threat and the contest as Millersville escaped with a 5-4 victory.
Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) got the start and took the loss, being charged with all five runs on eight hits over the course of her 5.1, walking just one and striking out five over this stretch. Browning, who had entered late in game one, returned to action in the circle in game two and pitched well once again, pitching the final 1.2, getting all five of her outs via the punchout to keep the Millersville offense in check.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action at home on Tuesday afternoon vs the same opponent it faced this past Tuesday in Wilmington (Del.), with that doubleheader set to begin at 2 p.m. before jumping back into PSAC play next Friday afternoon at Mansfield.
