WILSON, N.C.- The West Chester softball team (8-7) returned to action on Wednesday afternoon for its third doubleheader in three days, facing off against Barton (9-9) in Wilson, North Carolina. West Chester saw its offense come to life late in the first game of the afternoon to earn a 4-1 victory before dropping the second game of the doubleheader by a 6-2 final to split with the Bulldogs and go 3-3 on the trip to the Carolinas.
Game One: WCU 4 Barton 1
West Chester and Barton found themselves in a pitchers dual, with both sides mustering just one hit through the first five innings of play.
In the top of the sixth, West Chester broke through with a single from
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca), which after a series of errors by the Bulldogs, allowed both
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest) and Melvin to score, giving West Chester a late 2-0 lead.
Barton countered in the home half of the sixth with a run of its own, but West Chester escaped the inning with no further damage to carry a 2-1 lead into the seventh.
Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove) helped West Chester respond with a run of its own in the seventh with an RBI single, which scored
Meg Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove), who had doubled to start the inning for the Golden Rams. Aguilar tacked on another run moments later with an RBI single of her own, which scored
Emma Zoldi (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) to make it a 4-1 lead for the Golden Rams heading to the bottom of the seventh.
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) pitched a gem, tossing 5.2, scattering three hits and one run while striking out two to improve to 2-3 on the year.
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) entered in relief in the sixth and got the final out via a strikeout to send the game to the seventh. Ciliberto finished the game in the circle and picked up the save, allowing just one hit, while striking out one more in the seventh, ending the game with a final line of 1.1 with one hit and a pair of strikeouts.
Game Two: Barton 6 WCU 2
West Chester took an early lead in game two when Melvin doubled to left, which scored Aguilar and gave the Golden Rams a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first.
Barton responded quickly, scoring three runs in the home half of the inning on a pair of singles to take a 3-1 lead. The hosts stretched this lead to 5-1 in the third with a two-run home run before adding another via an RBI single in the fourth to hold a commanding 6-1 lead.
Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) attempted to help bring West Chester back in the seventh, coming through with an RBI single with two outs in the inning, but the Bulldogs worked out of the inning without any further damage to earn a split against the Golden Rams.
Samantha Klug (East Norriton, Pa./Chestnut Hill Academy) (3-1) got the start and gave up the first three runs of the game on three hits before exiting for
Antonia Browning (Newark, Del./Charter School of Wilmington). Browning worked through 3.1 innings for West Chester, surrendering three runs on six hits before
Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) entered in relief of her and pitched the final 2.2, surrendering just one hit, largely quieting the Bulldog offense.
Kierstin Cooper got the start in game two for Barton and went the distance in the circle, scattering two runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out four to earn her third victory (3-1) of the season.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Saturday afternoon at home against the College of Staten Island in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. before hosting Holy Family in a twin bill on Sunday afternoon also beginning at 12 p.m.
