WEST CHESTER, Pa.- The West Chester University softball team (23-14, 11-7) kicked off an important and busy weekend of PSAC East play on Saturday afternoon with a dominant sweep of Mansfield (11-19, 2-18) at home. Led by a no-hitter by
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon), West Chester took game one by an 8-0 final in five innings before winning the nightcap by a 9-1 final in five innings as well.
Prior to the start of the doubleheader, West Chester honored senior pitcher
Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) for her efforts as a Golden Ram throughout her career.
Game One: WCU 8 Mansfield 0 (5 Innings)
West Chester jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second after an RBI single by
Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord), which plated
Meg Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove), who had doubled earlier in the inning.
West Chester added another three runs in the third after an RBI single by
Kaitlyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove) and a two-run shot by
Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest) immediately following this to take a 4-0 lead into the fourth.
West Chester doubled its lead in the fourth thanks to a two-RBI double by Rittenbaugh, an RBI triple by Aguilar, and an RBI single by
Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) to take an 8-0 lead into the fifth.
One run would have been sufficient for
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) as the sophomore was exceptional in the circle all afternoon, tossing a no-hitter, coming just one error shy of the third perfect game in program history. Ciliberto, who became the 13
th pitcher in team history to throw a no-no earlier this season, joins an elite three-player group to throw multiple no-hitters in their career, joining Amanda Houck and Adina DeHainaut on the list. Ciliberto struck out 10 in the victory as she improved to 13-6 in the circle and threw the first no-hitter vs a league opponent since
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) in 2022.
Danielle Goff (6-9) took the loss in the circle, allowing four runs on seven hits in three innings of work in the game-one setback.
Game Two: WCU 9 Mansfield 1
West Chester jumped out to an early lead in the first, scoring four quick runs courtesy of a passed ball, a bases-loaded walk, an error, and an RBI single by
Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Metting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) to carry a 4-0 lead into the second.
Mansfield picked up its first hit of the afternoon in the top of the second, but Picozzi ensured this was all the visitors would get in that half-inning to keep things locked at 4-0.
In the bottom of the second, West Chester scored four more runs thanks to a leadoff solo home run to right by Rittenbaugh before a wild pitch stretched the lead to 6-0. Kane brought two more runs across with a double off the left-field fence, giving the Golden Rams a commanding 8-0 lead entering the third.
A pair of two-out hits gave Mansfield its first run of the game in the top of the third after a single dropped into shallow center, cutting the WCU lead to 8-1.
After a scoreless third, West Chester stretched its lead back to eight early in the bottom of the fourth as
Alexa Peterson (Exton, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) drove a solo home run to left, making the score 9-1 with one away in the fourth. West Chester continued to threaten as the fourth continued, but Mansfield escaped any further damage to keep the deficit at eight heading into the fifth.
Picozzi was sharp in the fifth, working a quick 1, 2, 3 inning with relatively soft contact, including a strikeout swinging for her second of three outs in the frame. This gave Picozzi her third win of the year, as the senior closed out her senior day victory with a final line of one run allowed on five hits while striking out six.
Annabella Putnam suffered the loss in the circle, allowing four runs (two earned) on a pair of hits and four walks while striking out one in her lone inning to work to start the game.
Up Next:
West Chester will be back in action tomorrow for a home doubleheader against Lock Haven at 1 p.m.
