CHARLESTON, W.V.- After defeating third-seeded Charleston (W.V.) (47-5) by a 2-1 final earlier today, the West Chester University softball team (36-20) finds itself just one win shy of a return trip to the Super Regionals heading into Championship Saturday as the Purple and Gold look to go unbeaten for the second week in a row. In order to complete this task and improve to 7-0 in the postseason, West Chester will need to defeat Charleston tomorrow in another elimination game for the Golden Eagles beginning at 12 p.m. at the Watt Powell Annex in Charleston, West Virginia. Should West Chester drop its first game tomorrow, it will be the Golden Ram's first loss since the last Saturday of the regular season and first postseason loss; however, it will not end the season as an if-necessary game would be played following that conclusion.
Fan Information
Charleston has launched a Tournament Central page, which is available
here. It includes links for live
stats and
video for fans who cannot make the trip to West Virginia to support the Golden Rams.
All tickets for fans traveling to West Virginia are general admission, with prices set at $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, children, and students. Children under the age of two will be admitted free of charge. Tickets are only sold at the field, and all sales are cash only.
The softball field is located at 3511 Venable Avenue in Charleston, West Virginia 25304. For parking, fans should follow signage at the complex and may park directly next to the softball facility or in the community center parking lot. Fans are not permitted to park in the Charleston Area Medical Center Oncology lot; any vehicles parked in this lot will be subject to towing. Fans are also advised of a free shuttle service, which will run from the Innovation Center on the campus of the University of Charleston.
Series Information
Despite playing in a Regional Pod hosted by Charleston in 2016, tomorrow's matchup will be the second and potentially third NCAA Tournament battle between the Golden Rams and Golden Eagles and just the fourth all-time between the two regional foes. Before today, West Chester had never faced Charleston north of Florida, facing the Golden Eagles in 2015 and 2016 during Spring Break in the Sunshine State. West Chester dropped both Spring Break meetings to Charleston, falling by a 4-3 final in March 2015 and a 6-5 final in March 2016.
Since its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2008, West Chester is 11-7 vs Mountain East Conference foes, including victories in three of the last four such meetings.
How They Got Here
WCU 2 Charleston 1 Box Score Gallery
West Chester scored a run in the first inning and added another in the third to earn a 2-1 victory over regional host Charleston on Friday afternoon.
Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) continued to close in on Bri Garber's single-season runs scored record of 61 as she scored both runs in the victory, while
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) pitched another gem in the circle, allowing just one run on eight hits and a walk, while striking out five to improve to 23-8 on the year with her fifth complete game of the 2024 postseason. Ciliberto has started and earned the decision in every game this postseason for West Chester, going a perfect 6-0 in the circle with a 2.88 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 40.2 innings of work.
Charleston 4 Gannon 0 Box Score
Charleston used three solo home runs and an RBI single in the fifth inning, coupled with an excellent pitching performance by Chloe Elliott, to eliminate Gannon and set up a rematch with West Chester on Saturday afternoon in the Pod Final. Charleston jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with a pair of solo home runs in the second from Hannah Meyer and Raegan West before Alyssa Lake hit a solo shot of her own in the third to take a comfortable 3-0 lead into the fourth. In the fifth, Bella Andujar stretched the advantage one run further with an RBI single, plating Rose to give the hosts a 4-0 advantage. Elliott continued her excellent day in the circle on Friday evening, pitching seven shutout innings, scattering just four hits throughout her seven innings, while striking out eight to improve to 10-0 in the circle. Elliott also pitched well in relief against West Chester earlier in the day on Friday, holding West Chester to just one hit and a pair of walks while striking out one Golden Ram in 2.2 innings of work out of the bullpen.
With a Win
With a victory in game one, West Chester will conclude its stay in Charleston, W.V., at a perfect 3-0 and advance to the Super Regionals at the home of the highest remaining seed next Tuesday afternoon. Should Charleston earn an upset victory in game one tomorrow, the two sides will return to action for the if-necessary game, with the winner of that contest advancing to the Super Regionals next week.
West Chester, off to its best start to the postseason since 2017, when the team also started the second season a perfect 6-0, is looking for its first Super Regional appearance since 2019 as Supers were not played in 2021 as Division II softball emerged from the COVID-19 Pandemic. Charleston is looking for its second Super Regional appearance in as many years after qualifying and falling to ESU in this round a year ago.
The ESU Regional
The other half of the Atlantic Regional Tournament suffered a scheduling setback today as rain blanketed Lehigh Valley throughout the afternoon, leading to all games at Creekview Park scheduled for today being postponed until tomorrow. East Stroudsburg will take to the field at 10 a.m. tomorrow for its winner's bracket final, and two elimination games will follow. The pod final, which will determine where Super Regionals are held next week, will be played on Sunday, May 12.
