WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Looking to jump into the driver's seat in the PSAC East race entering the stretch run of the 2023 season, West Chester (23-12, 11-3) hosted Kutztown (13-15, 7-5) on Friday afternoon in a clash of perennial powers. West Chester picked up the game one victory 1-0 behind a stellar pitching performance by
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) before pulling away for a 10-2 win in five innings in game two.
Tonight's sweep of Kutztown gives West Chester its first sweep of the Golden Bears since March of the 2019 season, which was also part of a series-best seven game winning streak for the Golden Rams. Today also snaps a two-game losing streak for WCU against Kutztown, giving West Chester its first win over the Golden Bears since May 10, 2021 and it first home win since April 13, 2019, a 2-0 shutout victory by Reilly Gearhart.
Game One: WCU 1 Kutztown 0
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) got the start in the circle and impressed once again turning in a complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts to neutralize the potent Kutztown offense. Ciliberto's 11 strikeouts set a new career-high and also matched the most by a Golden Ram pitcher since Amanda Houck struck out 11 in a win over U Sciences in 2018. This effort is also the most strikeouts by a Golden Ram pitcher in a PSAC East game since Brooke Harner fanned 14 in a win over Kutztown in 2015 (4/25/15).
After a scoreless three-and-a-half innings to open the game,
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest) led off the fourth with a double to left center and came around to score on an RBI single by
Meg Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove).
Kutztown threatened in the sixth, getting a pair of runners on early and eventually getting runners on first and third with two outs before Ciliberto worked out of trouble to keep the Golden Bears off the scoreboard.
Haley Gravish also turned in a stellar effort for the Golden Bears in the setback, going the distance in the circle and allowing just one unearned run on five hits while striking out four Golden Rams as she fell to 7-4 on the year.
Game Two: WCU 10 Kutztown 2 (5 Innings)
In contrast to the first game of the twinbill, Kutztown loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning. The Golden Bears did manage to push across one run via a bases-loaded walk but stellar defensive plays by
Olivia Mock (Clifton, Va./Paul V), including a lunging stab on a line drive, led to a double play and allowed West Chester to trail by just one heading into the home half.
Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord) erased the deficit quickly with a two-run home run to left to give West Chester a 2-1 lead heading into the second.
West Chester loaded the bases with one away in the second, which closed the book on Kutztown starter Amanda Slabicki, who lasted just 1.1 before being lifted in favor of game-one starter Gravish.
West Chester added a pair of runs with a two-RBI single back up the middle to push the lead to 4-1 heading into the third.
Samantha Klug (East Norriton, Pa./Chestnut Hill Academy) entered in relief of
Antonia Browning (Newark, Del./Charter School of Wilmington) to open the top of the third and was greeted quickly by a double into the right-field corner to start the inning. West Chester got its first out of the inning on a fielder's choice, which effectively erased the leadoff double before working out of the inning to maintain its 4-1 lead.
Kutztown cut into the lead, making the score 4-2 while putting runners on the corners with one out, which led to the end of Klug's day in favor of
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton). Edwards did her job well, helping West Chester tightrope out of danger before working a scoreless fifth to help West Chester carry a 4-2 lead into the home fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth, West Chester exploded for six runs on six hits, including a pair of bases-clearing doubles by Mock and
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) en route to a 10-2 victory in five innings.
Browning worked the first two innings, allowing just one unearned run on one hit while walking three before exiting in favor of Klug (8-2). Klug, who picked up her eighth win of the season worked the next 1.1, allowing one unearned run on two hits while walking a pair. Edwards earned her second save of the season, finishing the game with a final line of 1.2 innings pitched, allowing just one walk while striking out three to secure the victory.
Slabicki (1-4) suffered her fourth loss of the season, being charged with four runs (two earned) on five hits in the setback. Gravish entered in relief and worked the next 2.2 allowing four runs on seven hits before Sarah Harvey entered in relief and allowed the final two runs (one earned) to come across on two hits in the setback.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action tomorrow at Shepherd in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
