WEST CHESTER, Pa.- With opening day against Le Moyne now less than a day away, the West Chester softball team will look to build off lessons learned and its continued growth from a season ago as head coach
Diane Lokey's group looks to make a return to the postseason in 2023.
Preseason Prognostications
In the PSAC preseason poll released earlier this year, West Chester was picked to finish fifth in the PSAC East after missing the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2009 in the 2022 season. Reigning PSAC East and PSAC Tournament Champion, Kutztown was picked to finish second in the East in 2023, while Shippensburg claimed the top spot in the Eastern Division poll. Bloomsburg claimed the third spot, followed by Shepherd in fourth and West Chester in fifth, while East Stroudsburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield, and Millersville rounded out the poll.
Mercyhurst was picked to finish first in the PSAC West with four first-place votes, followed by Seton Hill in second with three first-place votes, and Cal in third with two first-place votes. Gannon captured the fourth spot in the poll while IUP was fifth, with Pitt-Johnstown in sixth, Slippery Rock in seventh, Edinboro in eighth, and Clarion in ninth to round out the Western Division.
Looking Back
In 2022, West Chester missed the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2009, finishing with an overall record of 24-22 after winning each of the last four home games of the year with sweeps of Chestnut Hill and Shepherd, marking the 15
th season in a row in which West Chester finished above .500. Lokey also mentored NFCA Second Team All-American and Golden Spikes Award Winner,
Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) as the speedy junior led the Nation in stolen bases a year ago, stealing 56, which set a new single-season record for both WCU and the PSAC while also eclipsing the WCU career stolen base record. Melvin turned in an outstanding junior season, which saw her lead West Chester in an array of statistical categories, including batting average (.453), hits (77), runs (60), and stolen bases (56-60). Melvin's .453 batting average and 60 runs both rank second-best in team single-season history, while her 77 hits are tied for third-best in single-season program history. Melvin's 56 steals on the year also allowed the junior to set a new single-season stolen base record for both West Chester and the PSAC while also eclipsing the career stolen base record previously held by Meghan Kelly in just 111 career games.
Melvin was one of four All-PSAC East honorees for West Chester last year as
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest), Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove), and Haleigh Karcher (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) all earned Second Team All-PSAC East honors while Aguilar, Melvin, and Rittenbaugh also all earned All-Region honors. Behind the plate, Karcher was an excellent asset for the Golden Rams last season, earning Second Team All-League honors, batting an impressive .328 with 13 extra-base hits over 43 games while driving in 25 runs and scoring nine more. In addition to her offensive contributions, Karcher caught a pair of runners stealing and registered a .976 fielding percentage while also helping lead a youthful pitching staff.
One of the more versatile players on the field for West Chester a season ago, Aguilar earned Second Team All-League honors as a utility player after splitting time between left field and shortstop throughout her 46 games. Offensively, Aguilar compiled a .361 batting average, ending the year with 52 hits and 18 extra-base hits, including 13 doubles, which tied for the team-high. The junior utility player also worked a team-best 23 walks, which helped her score 43 runs and drive in 36 more to help support the Golden Ram offense throughout the season. Aguilar also earned Division II Conference Commissioners Association (DIICCA) First Team All-Atlantic Region honors along with NFCA First Team All-Region honors on Wednesday afternoon.
Rittenbaugh was a fixture at second base throughout the year, appearing and starting in all 46 games. The junior middle infielder registered a .391 batting average over the course of these 46 games, which included 11 extra-base hits (including a team-high four triples). The junior also managed to score 42 runs and drive in 34 more while registering a .484 slugging percentage and going 11-of-13 on stolen base attempts on the season. In league play, Rittenbaugh was at her best as she led the team in batting average (.393), hits (22), RBI (12), and extra-base hits (7) while slugging .571 over the course of 16 league games. A consistent defender, Rittenbaugh also registered a .931 fielding percentage with 83 putouts and 66 assists over the course of the 2022 season. Rittenbaugh also earned NFCA First Team All-Region honors on Wednesday afternoon.
Roster Check
West Chester returns the majority of its roster from a year ago, highlighted by the return of All-American Melvin and fellow All-Region picks Aguilar and Rittenbaugh.
In her first season as a Golden Ram, Browning grew considerably as the season progressed, recording one of her best starts as a Golden Ram at Shippensburg near the end of the season, going 6.1, scattering seven hits and one run while striking out a pair in a tight game against the Raiders. In the circle, West Chester returns four of its five arms from last year, led by
Antonia Browning (Newark, Del./Charter School of Wilmington), McKenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton), Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic), and Anna Torrens (Ridley, Pa./Ridley). Torrens posted the lowest ERA on the staff with a mark of 4.12 and a 1.63 WHIP, pitching to a record of 4-4 on the year with 21 appearances and 12 starts. Picozzi, who led the team in wins with 10 on the season, pitched to a mark of 10-7 with four complete games and a pair of saves while also leading in strikeouts with 65 on the year over the course of her 106.1 innings pitched. In her freshman season, Edwards pitched to a record of 7-6 on the year with four-complete games, including the first seven-inning no-hitter by a Golden Ram pitcher since the 2006 season. Edwards also became the first player in team history to toss a no-hitter against a PSAC East opponent, ending the year with a .253 batting-average against, which was the best on the staff. In addition to the strong group of returning arms, West Chester also welcomes a pair of new pitchers in,
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) and Samantha Klug (East Norriton, Pa./Chestnut Hill Academy).
Receiving pitches from this stable of arms will be a pair of familiar faces for West Chester in
Haleigh Karcher (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) and
Abby Quinn (Cheltenham, Pa./William Penn Charter), who split the time behind the plate throughout last season along with
Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord) and Sydnee Campbell (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) who provide crucial best depth behind the plate. Karcher, who was an All-Conference selection a year ago, was a consistent bat for the Golden Rams a year ago, batting .328 on the season with 13 extra-base hits, including 10 doubles, finishing the year with 25 RBI and a .464 slugging percentage. Quinn tied for second on the team in home runs a season ago, belting four, finishing the year with 10 extra-base hits and 17 runs batted in (RBI) while also ending the year with a .291 batting average overall.
First base, which be an area of change for West Chester this season brings with it a host of talented options as,
Alexa Peterson (Exton, Pa./Bishop Shanahan), Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord), Avery Sickeri (Thurmont, Md./Catocin), and Meg Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) are expected to share time at this position. West Chester returns most of its starters from last year in the infield, highlighted by Rittenbaugh at second, Aguilar at short, and
Olivia Mock (Clifton, Va./Paul V) at third. Mock posted a .919 fielding percentage at the hot corner a year ago, to go along with a .285 batting average with 35 hits, including eight extra-base hits (seven doubles, one triple), while driving in 25 runs and scoring 14 more. West Chester also has substantial depth in the infield thanks to the eventual return of
Abby Penjuke (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton), who will join the Golden Rams after her season on the hardwood is complete, along with newcomers
Gia Borelli (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson), Kayla Fitzpatrick (Carle Place, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy), Emma Zoldi (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), and Ciliberto.
In the outfield, returning All-American and NFCA Division II Golden Spikes Award Winner
Madison Melvin leads the returning group. Melvin is expected to be joined in the outfield by younger sister
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) along with junior
Sierra Marsteller (Orefield, Pa./Parkland). Marsteller appeared in 40 games for West Chester last season, registering a .273 batting average while scoring seven runs and driving in three more while also going a perfect 7-for-7 on steal attempts. In addition to a strong returning group, West Chester also welcomes a host of freshman in
Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin),
Cyd Kiedaisch (Pottstown, Pa./Boyertown),
Frankee DeLeo (Blakeslee, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) along with sophomore returner
Brittany Lally (Howell, N.J./Freehold Township) who all figure to add depth for West Chester this season.
The Slate
The Golden Rams open their 2023 season tomorrow afternoon at home against Le Moyne beginning at 12 p.m. West Chester returns to action at the end of February at the NFCA Leadoff Classic against Le Moyne, Georgian Court, Wingate, and Northern State. West Chester will open its home slate on March 4 against Jefferson before opening up its PSAC East schedule on March 24 and 25 with doubleheaders against Lock Haven and Mansfield. After March 25, West Chester will head out on the road for the next three doubleheaders, visiting Millersville, East Stroudsburg, and Bloomsburg on March 28, 31 and April 1. The Golden Rams return home the next week to take on two teams that earned the top spots in the Preseason poll in Shippensburg on April 4 before hosting Kutztown on Friday the seventh. West Chester follows this up with a visit to Shepherd on April 8 before hosting Millersville on April 11 in what will be the start of the second half of its PSAC Eastern Division schedule, as the team will face each team in the east twice this year (four total games, with two doubleheaders against each opponent). West Chester concludes its regular season on April 28
th and 29
th with matchups against Shippensburg and Shepherd, with the matchup on Saturday the 29
th against the Rams also being the Regular-Season home finale for the Purple and Gold.
Leading Off:
West Chester opens up the season tomorrow afternoon at home with a doubleheader against Le Moyne beginning at 12 p.m.
