WILMINGTON, Del.- The West Chester University softball team (1-1) opened its season on Sunday afternoon in Delaware against fourth-ranked Wilmington (1-1). West Chester dropped its opener by a 6-4 final after a five-run fourth inning before capturing the nightcap by a 5-2 final after a three-run home run by
Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) in the top of the seventh lifted the Golden Rams to a split with the fourth-ranked Wildcats.
Game One: #4 Wilmington 6 WCU 4
WP: Sheehan (1-0)
LP: Makenzie Edwards (0-1)
West Chester raced out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first when Marabell laced an RBI triple to left, which cleared the bases, scoring
Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin), Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord), and Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) to give the Golden Rams the early lead.
After two scoreless innings to start, Wilmington cut the lead to two in the home third with an RBI single to left to make it 3-1.
Best extended the lead back to three quickly in the top of the fourth with an RBI single up the middle, which plated
Julia Miller (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) to make the score 4-1.
In the home fourth, Wilmington exploded for five runs on four hits to grab a 6-4 lead en route to the game-one victory.
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) (0-1 )got the opening day start in the circle, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits while walking a pair in 3.2 innings of work.
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) entered in relief in the fourth and pitched the final 2.1, allowing one run on one hit and a walk while striking out four.
Delani Sheehan got the start for Wilmington and fanned 13 Golden Rams in seven innings of work while scattering four runs on seven hits with five walks.
Game Two WCU 5 Wilmington 2
WP: Edwards (1-1) LP: Kylee Gunkel (0-1)
In the second game of the afternoon,
Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) extended the top of the first with a single to short and later scored on an RBI single by Marabell for her fourth RBI of opening day.
West Chester carried its 1-0 lead into the home half of the second when Wilmington pushed across a pair of runs off an RBI single up the middle to take a 2-1 lead over the Golden Rams.
The Golden Rams erased this mid-game deficit in the fourth inning when Miller picked up her first collegiate RBI with a double to center, which plated Ciliberto, who had singled to right center to start the inning.
Ciliberto got the start in the circle and pitched the first 4.1, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks.
Edwards entered in relief and worked the next 1.2 innings without allowing a run or a hit striking out four to keep the game tied at 2-2 heading into the seventh.
In the seventh, West Chester got two runners on with one out when
Tess Kearney (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro Horsham) was hit by a pitch to open the inning before Kane worked a walk to give West Chester runners on first and third with one out after a passed ball moved Kearney to third during Kane's at bat. Kearney attempted to score on a ground ball to third from Best but was thrown out at the plate for a crucial second out of the top of the seventh.
Right when Wilmington thought it might escape the inning, Marabell continued her incredible opening day with a three-run home run to left, which gave West Chester a 5-2 lead over the Wildcats heading into the home seventh.
In the home seventh, Wilmington attempted to mount a comeback, getting runners on first and second early and nearly plating a run if not for an excellent relay between Melvin and Kane to cut a runner down at the plate before loading the bases with two outs. Edwards earned her first win of the season by striking out Emma Zimmerman to end the game and the fourth-ranked Wildcats comeback bid.
Kylee Gunkel suffered the loss for Wilmington, allowing five runs on eight hits, while walking four and striking out five to drop to 0-1 on the young season.
Marabell was a team-best 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and four RBI, while Miller went 2-for-3 with an early RBI in the victory.
Up Next
West Chester will be back in action next Friday at Goldey-Beacom beginning at 2 p.m. before opening its home slate against Holy Family on Saturday at 12 p.m.
