MANSFIELD, Pa.-The West Chester University softball team (28-13, 14-10) returned to action on Friday afternoon at Mansfield (8-26, 6-20) in an important PSAC East clash against the Mountaineers. Looking to clinch a return trip to the PSAC Tournament in Quakertown, West Chester swept its second doubleheader of the week and improved to 5-1 on the week with a pair of wins over Mansfield, capturing game one by a 10-2 final in five innings before capturing the nightcap by a 9-5 final.
Game One: WCU 10 Mansfield 2 (5 Innings)
WP: Danielle Ciliberto (14-5)
LP: Reilly Storer (2-7)
West Chester got out to an early 2-0 lead after an RBI double by
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) and an RBI single by
Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord), which plated Melvin.
Melvin stretched the lead to 3-0 in the second with a sac fly to center before the Mounties got a run back in the home second with a solo home run.
In the third, West Chester scored two more runs as Best homered to end a nine-pitch at bat before
Tess Kearney (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) drove in another run with a sac fly to center to score
Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh).
Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) stretched the lead to 8-1 in the fourth with a towering three-run home run, her eighth of the season before
Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) hit her eighth of the year on the first pitch she saw in the fifth to give the Golden Rams a 9-1 lead.
Marabell retook the team lead in home runs in the fifth with a solo shot of her own to left center, driving the second pitch of the at-bat over the fence to give the Golden Rams a commanding 10-1 lead.
Mansfield got a run back in the fifth with an RBI double to center, but this was as close as the Mounties were able to come in the 10-2 setback.
Ciliberto earned her staff best 14
th win of the year after allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out five in the complete-game effort.
Reilly Storer took the loss for Mansfield, allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks in three innings of work.
Emma Maurer and Sarah Sherman both worked an inning in relief, allowing three and two runs each on two hits, while Maurer walked and struck out a pair.
Game Two WCU 9 Mansfield 5
WP: Alyssa Tooley (5-2)
LP: Annabella Putnam (5-13)
S: Danielle Ciliberto (2)
Ciliberto doubled home the first run of the game with a double to right center before scoring on a two-run shot to right off the bat of Marabell for her 10
th long ball of the season.
A wild pitch later in the first inning was enough to score Best before a bases-loaded walk of Hopkins pushed across the fifth run of the game.
Mansfield got a run back in the first with a solo home run of its own before tying the game in the home half of the third with an RBI single and a bases-clearing double to erase the four-run West Chester lead.
Ciliberto restored a slim Golden Ram lead with an RBI single, which scored Melvin and gave the Golden Rams a 6-5 lead heading into the home half of the fourth.
Melvin extended the lead in the fifth with an RBI single before the Golden Rams manufactured a pair of runs in the seventh to take a commanding 9-5 lead.
Gia Borelli (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) found her way home on a double steal as
Ella Heap (York, Pa./Central York) swiped second before going to third on the throw to the plate. This allowed Heap to score on an RBI ground out off the bat of Kearney, which gave the Golden Rams a four-run lead heading into the home seventh.
Mansfield started the last half inning with a single, but worked around the early single well to finish off the 9-5 victory.
Alyssa Tooley (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) (5-2) earned her fifth win of the year, allowing just two hits while walking two and striking out a pair in the win. Ciliberto picked up a save as she closed out the victory.
Annabella Putnam took the loss for Mansfield, allowing seven runs on 12 hits while walking four and striking out five.
Up Next
West Chester will return home on Saturday afternoon to take on Shippensburg on Senior Day, beginning at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as Senior Day ceremonies will occur prior to the game.
