SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.V.- Following an impressive sweep of perennial-power Kutztown a day ago, West Chester (25-12, 13-3) took to the road on Saturday afternoon to renew its rivalry with Shepherd (23-13, 6-10). West Chester got another outstanding pitching performance by
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) to pick up a 3-0 win in the first game of the doubleheader before storming back to earn a 5-4 win in the nightcap and complete a sweep of Shepherd.
Game One: WCU 3 Shepherd 0
Fresh off one of the best pitching performances in a PSAC East game in recent memory, freshman pitcher
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) turned in another masterful performance on Saturday afternoon, pitching another shutout, scattering six hits while striking out three to improve to 10-2 on the year.
West Chester gave Ciliberto strong run support throughout the afternoon, scoring a pair in the third and adding another in the seventh to roll to a 3-0 game-one victory over Shepherd.
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) opened the scoring in the third with an RBI triple to right center before scoring on an RBI single back up the middle by
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest), which gave the Golden Rams a 2-0 lead.
Shepherd started the home half of the third and fourth innings with hits, including a double down the line to open the fourth but Ciliberto worked around the early base runners to keep the Rams scoreless.
After a 1,2,3 bottom of the sixth, West Chester tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when
Cyd Keidaisch (Pottstown, Pa./Boyertown) opened the inning with a single and stole second, allowing her to score on an RBI single off the bat of
Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca), making the score 3-0.
West Chester threatened to add more before the end of the inning, getting the Melvin sisters to second and third with two outs in the inning but Shepherd worked out of trouble to avoid falling further behind heading into the home half.
Looking for a late game comeback in the bottom of the seventh, Ciliberto and the Golden Rams ensured this would not happen, working another 1,2,3 inning with a groundout to third and a pair of lineouts to finish off the game-one win.
Game Two: WCU 5 Shepherd 4
Similarly to a day ago, West Chester used a late-game offensive push to pick up the sweep of the Rams, using a solo home run by
Olivia Mock (Clifton, Va./Paul V) in the sixth inning to lift West Chester to a 5-4 victory over Shepherd.
Shepherd jumped out to a 2-0 lead and didn't trail until the sixth inning, as the Rams led by two runs (2-0, 4-2) for much of the game before the Golden Rams mounted their comeback.
The Rams used a first inning two-run home run to take the early advantage before West Chester countered with an RBI single by
Abigail Quinn (Cheltenham, Pa./William Penn Charter) in the second and a wild pitch that scored
Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove) to tie the game at 2-2 in the third.
Shepherd pulled back ahead by a pair in the fourth with a two-RBI single, taking a 4- 2 lead into the fifth.
In the fifth, Aguilar came through in a big way for the Golden Rams with a two-RBI inside-the-park home run, which scored Melvin and sent the game to the sixth tied at 4-4.
Mock came through in the sixth with a clutch solo home run to left, giving the Golden Rams their first lead of the game and the only lead they would need to complete the sweep.
Samantha Klug (East Norriton, Pa./Chestnut Hill Academy got the start and lasted just 0.1 of an inning, allowing two runs on two hits before exiting for
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) (4-5). Edwards was impressive in relief, surrendering just two runs on two hits and three walks over her 6.2 innings of work while striking out six to pick up her fourth victory of the year.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Tuesday afternoon at home against Millersville in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. in its final home game for 10 days as the team does not return home again until April 21 vs ESU.
