MELBOURNE, Fl.- The West Chester softball team (12-3) wrapped up its trip to the Sunshine State with two more victories over Ursuline (W, 3-0) and Goldey-Beacom (W, 5-2) to return north on a seven-game winning streak heading into its league opener at Millersville on Tuesday.
Game One: WCU 3 Ursuline 0
WP: Danielle Ciliberto (6-2)
LP: Macy Searles (1-4)
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) got the start in the circle and was dominant once again, turning in a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits, while striking out a pair to improve to 6-2 on the year.
The Golden Rams gave Ciliberto an early lead in the second inning, when
Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) drove in the first run of the game with a double to center before scoring a few batters later on a ground ball off the bat of
Tess Kearney (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) that the Arrows third baseman misplayed to extend the inning and give the Golden Rams the 2-0 lead. West Chester loaded the bases with two outs after this but the Arrows escaped the inning on a fly ball to center to keep the deficit at two.
Ursuline started the fourth inning with a triple to center, but Ciliberto settled in quickly, and two ground ball outs, one of which resulted in an unconventional double play to escape the inning with a two-run lead intact.
In the fifth, Marabell logged her second RBI double of the game, plating
Presley Foote (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) to give West Chester the 3-0 advantage.
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) was 3-for-3 in the victory, while Marabell and
Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord) both logged a pair of hits.
Macy Searles suffered her fourth loss of the season in the circle for Ursuline, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk while striking out one.
Game Two: WCU 5 Goldey-Beacom 2
WP: Makenzie Edwards (4-1)
LP: Alessia Doctor (1-2)
S: Ciliberto (1)
West Chester exploded for four runs in the second inning, led by a bases-clearing double by
Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) before she came around to score via an RBI single by
Julia Miller (Moorestown, Pa./Moorestown) later in the inning.
Goldey-Beacom got a run back in the third and fourth innings via an RBI single and RBI double to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Marabell continued her big final day in the Sunshine State with a home run to left in the sixth, which stretched the Golden Rams lead to 5-2 en route to the victory.
Edwards was sharp on the mound as she earned her fourth win of the year with four strong innings of work, scattering just two runs (one earned) on four hits, while striking out three. Ciliberto returned in relief after posting a five-inning victory in game one, allowing just two hits in three innings of work, while striking out a pair.
For Goldey-Beacom, Doctor allowed five runs (one earned) on eight hits, while striking out six in the loss.
Up Next
West Chester concluded its slate of games in Florida today and will return north to prepare for its PSAC East opening doubleheader at Millersville on Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m.
