FLORENCE, S.C.-Riding a four-game winning streak, the West Chester softball team (7-6) returned to action on Tuesday evening vs Francis Marion (20-4) in a non-league doubleheader. West Chester dropped game one by an 11-2 final in five innings before falling in extra innings in game two by an 11-10 final after erasing a four-run deficit in the middle innings to force the game to extra innings.
Game One: Francis Marion 11 WCU 2 (5 Innings)
West Chester threatened in the top of the first after a one-triple by
Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove) gave West Chester an early runner in scoring position. Francis Marion tight-roped out of danger to keep the game scoreless, heading to the home half of the first.
The Patriots wasted little time in taking an early lead, belting a pair of home runs in the home half of the first to take an early 3-0 lead over the Golden Rams.
The hosts posted another three runs in the home half of the second before
Emma Zoldi (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) got West Chester on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the third, cutting the deficit to 6-1.
Francis Marion added a pair of runs in the home third and tacked on three more in the home half of the fourth to take an 11-1 lead. Rittenbaugh cut the deficit with an RBI single that scored
Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca), who had worked a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch earlier in the inning. West Chester loaded the bases with two outs, but Francis Marion worked out of danger again to hold on for an 11-2 victory over the Golden Rams.
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) (1-3) got the start in the circle and pitched the first inning, allowing three runs on two hits while striking out one.
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) entered in relief and pitched the next two innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out a pair.
Anna Torrens (Holmes, Pa./Ridley) entered for the fourth and allowed three runs on two hits and two walks in the game one setback.
For the Patriots, Rachel Davis (8-3) delivered a strong effort in the circle, scattering five hits and one run over 4.1 innings pitched while striking out six to earn the victory. Jordan Rivera entered in relief of Davis and dealt three walks while also allowing one run on one hit before ending the game with a strikeout.
Game Two: Francis Marion 11 WCU 10 (9 Innings)
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) gave West Chester an early 2-0 lead to start game to with a two-run home run to right, which also plated
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest).
West Chester extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the second after a wild pitch scored
Haleigh Karcher (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson)
Francis Marion answered quickly, scoring three runs in the second via an RBI single and a two-run home run before scoring four more in the third after a pair of RBI doubles and another two-run home run to take a 7-3 lead over the Golden Rams.
West Chester was far from finished as the Golden Rams answered in the fourth with a three-run inning of its own courtesy of a fielding error, which scored Melvin before
Olivia Mock (Clifton, Va./Paul V) came through with a big two-RBI single, cutting the deficit to 7-6.
West Chester and Francis Marion traded runs in the fifth as
Madison Melvin singled home
Sierra Marsteller (Oreland, Pa./Parkland) before Francis Marion retook the lead on a throwing error in the home half, taking an 8-7 lead into the sixth.
In the top of the sixth,
Meg Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) came through with an RBI single of her own, which plated Aguilar and tied the game at 8-8.
Francis Marion got an early base runner in the home sixth, but
Antonia Browning (Newark, Del./Charter School of Wilmington) worked around the early runner to keep the game tied at 8-8 heading to the seventh.
West Chester threatened in the seventh, as Melvin and Rittenbaugh each recorded two-out singles to give West Chester runners on first and second with two gone in the inning. Aguilar hit a long fly ball to left, but the Patriots made the play to escape the inning and keep things tied, eventually leading to extra innings.
In the eighth, West Chester inched out in front via a sac bunt by Mock, but the Patriots countered quickly in the home half, thus, sending the game to the ninth, even at 9-9.
West Chester pushed another run across in the ninth before Francis Marion walked it off in the home half of the ninth with a two-out, bases-loaded single to right, lifting the Patriots to an 11-10 victory over the Golden Rams.
Samantha Klug (East Norriton, Pa./Chestnut Hill Academy) got the start in the circle and lasted 2.1, surrendering six runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out a pair. Picozzi entered in relief and pitched the next two innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits while walking two and striking out one before exiting in favor of Browning. Browning entered midway through the fifth and pitched the next four innings, scattering three runs (one earned) on three hits before Klug returned to the circle. The freshman came in and got a quick strikeout and had a two-strike count on each of her next two batters before the Patriots found a way to slip a single into the outfield to pick up the win.
Jenna Walling got the start for Francis Marion, pitching the first five innings, surrendering eight runs (four earned) on nine hits while striking out a pair. Davis, who picked up the game-one victory, also earned the win in the nightcap, pitching the final four innings, allowing two unearned runs on four hits while striking out five to improve to 9-3 on the year.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action tomorrow in a doubleheader against Barton beginning at 1 p.m.
