KUTZTOWN, Pa.- The West Chester University softball team (20-13, 9-7) concluded a busy weekend of softball on Sunday afternoon with a split at PSAC East rival Kutztown (20-13, 8-6). The Golden Rams used a late-game offensive outburst to win game one by a 5-2 final before dropping the nightcap by a 3-1 final in a game that was a pitchers duel throughout much of the afternoon.
Game One: WCU 5 Kutztown 2
Kutztown opened the scoring in the third with a two-run blast by Naya Darnowski, however, this proved to be the Golden Bears lone runs of the day as West Chester scored five unanswered in the later innings to earn a 5-2 victory.
Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) opened the scoring for West Chester with an RBI fielders choice, before scoring as part of a two-RBI double off the bat of
Kaitlyn Rittenbaugh (Donalsdon, Pa./Pine Grove), which gave the Golden Rams a 3-2 lead.
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) stretched the lead to 4-2 with an RBI single in the sixth before RIttenbaugh picked up her third RBI of the afternoon in the seventh with a single to left, which gave the Golden Rams a 5-2 lead.
Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) (2-0) remained unbeaten in the circle, scattering two runs on three hits in four innings of work, walking one and striking out four.
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) earned her third save of the year after allowing just three hits in three innings while striking out one.
Natalee Harvey took the game-one loss for the Golden Bears, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks in 5.1 innings of work to fall to 9-6 on the year.
Game Two: Kutztown 3 WCU 1
In the nightcap, Kutztown used a pair of home runs in the sixth inning to break open a scoreless game and carry a 3-0 lead into the seventh.
Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) helped cut into the deficit with an RBI double to right center with no outs in the seventh. Still, Haley Gravish (10-7) got tough quickly in the circle, ensuring this was the lone run West Chester would score to earn her 10
th victory of the year.
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) (7-5) got the start and worked the first 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out four. Ciliberto entered in relief and escaped the sixth with a pair of strikeouts to keep the deficit at three heading into the seventh.
Up Next:
West Chester will return to action on Tuesday vs. Wilmington as the Golden Rams resume their doubleheader vs. the Wildcats in the third inning of game one beginning at 2 p.m.
