MELBOURNE, Fl.- The West Chester University softball team (6-3) opened its Spring Break trip to Florida with a split against Southern New Hampshire (7-5) on Saturday afternoon. West Chester dropped the first game of the day by a 6-5 final despite leading throughout the early going before winning the nightcap by a 7-1 final behind an excellent complete-game performance from
Alyssa Tooley (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham).
Game One: SNHU 6 WCU 5
WP: Colbert (3-1)
LP: Edwards (1-2)
S: Donovan (2)
Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) started the game off with a solo home run to center field, giving the Golden Rams the early 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, West Chester doubled its lead with a
Julia Miller (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) RBI triple to right, which scored
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) to extend the lead to 2-0.
Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) made it a 3-0 West Chester lead with one out in the third with an RBI double to center, which scored Hopkins for her second run of the day.
In the top of the fourth, Southern New Hampshire cut the lead down to size with a two-RBI double to left before tying the game on an RBI triple and taking the lead on a fielders' choice moments later.
SNHU tacked on a run via an RBI single in the fifth before pushing across another run in the sixth via a hit-by-pitch to take a 6-3 lead into the home half of the sixth.
Hopkins cut the deficit to one with a two-RBI double to left in the sixth but this was as close as West Chester got in the 6-5 game one setback.
Ciliberto (4-2) was saddled with her second loss of the season after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits, while striking out three. Edwards pitched the final 2.2, allowing one run on three hits, while walking two and striking out three.
Game Two: WCU 7 SNHU 1
WP: Tooley (1-0)
LP: Parise (0-1)
West Chester got an early lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI single by Marabell, which scored Miller and gave West Chester the 1-0 advantage.
West Chester scored three runs in the second, including a perfectly executed sac bunt from
Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord), an RBI single by
Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) and a gutsy triple steal, while allowed Melvin to scamper home for what was the second run of the game.
Melvin picked up an RBI single of her own in the third, driving in
Presley Foote (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) before a
Holly Muni (Hamilton, N.J./Allentown) single in the fourth, scored Best to make it a 6-0 Golden Ram lead.
Leading by sixth entering the fifth, Best stretched the lead a bit further with an RBI double into left, which scored Miller and made it a 7-0 West Chester lead.
SNHU got a run back in the home fifth courtesy of an error, but this was as close the Penmen were able to come in the 7-1 game two loss.
Alyssa Tooley (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) was outstanding for West Chester in the circle, allowing just one unearned run on three hits and three walks, while striking out three for her first victory as a Golden Ram.
West Chester scored its seven runs on seven hits and five walks in the nightcap as Hopkins, Kane, Best,
Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) and Muni all registered two-hit days in the victory. Miller scored a team-best three runs in the victory as well.
Up Next
West Chester will be back in action tomorrow morning against Felician at 10 a.m. before facing Columbus State at 12:15 in its second and final game of the day.
