BLOOMSBURG, Pa.- Needing a pair of wins on the final day of the regular season to secure its spot in the PSAC Tournament, the West Chester University softball team (32-17, 18-14) was back in action on Saturday at Bloomsburg (29-17, 19-13). West Chester used a late-game double by
Tess Kearney (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) to capture game one by a 2-1 final before its comeback bid fell short in the nightcap, falling to the Huskies by a 5-4 final.
With the setback to Bloomsburg in the nightcap, West Chester wins the season series 3-1 over the Huskies, but will not have the chance to defend its PSAC Tournament crown from a year ago, as the Golden Rams fall just short of a return trip to Quakertown. The team will now await the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, which will air on NCAA.com on the morning of Monday, May 5, to learn if its season will continue in the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row.
Game One: WCU 2 Bloomsburg 1
WP: Danielle Ciliberto (17-6)
LP: Sarah Yamrick (11-5)
Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) gave West Chester an early 1-0 lead with an RBI double to left, which scored
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca).
Bloomsburg did not trail for long as Allie Wenrich laced a single to left in the home half of the fourth to tie the game at 1-1 and keep the Huskies threatening with runners on first and second with just one out.
This led to a pitching change for West Chester as
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) entered in relief of
Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton). Ciliberto got a quick second out with a fielder's choice as the Golden Rams got a clutch out at the plate before escaping the inning on a fly ball to left.
Edwards finished with a final line on one run on five hits and a walk in 3.1 innings of work.
Tess Kearney (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) gave West Chester a 2-1 lead and moved the Golden Rams to within a win of a playoff spot with an RBI double to right center that scored
Kayla Fitzpatrick (Carle Place, N.Y./Sacred Heart).
Sarah Yamrick (11-5) took the loss for Bloomsburg, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out six.
Ciliberto earned the win in relief, pitching 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out a pair to help keep the Golden Rams' playoff aspirations alive.
Game Two: Bloomsburg 5 WCU 4
WP: Callie Sowers (14-5)
LP: Danielle Ciliberto (17-7)
Reagan Wiest gave Bloomsburg a 1-0 lead in the second inning with an RBI single to third to open the scoring.
In the third, Kearney picked up her second RBI double of the day, this time doubling to center to score
Julia Miller (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) and tie the game at 1-1.
Bloomsburg broke open the tie with a four-run third inning, including a bases-clearing triple by Emma Little to take a commanding 5-1 lead.
This four-run inning closed the book on Ciliberto as she finished with a final line of five runs (one earned) on six hits in 2.2 innings of work for her seventh loss of the season.
Alyssa Tooley (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) entered in relief and finished the third inning, allowing the bases-clearing triple before working a scoreless fourth and fifth to keep the deficit right where it was.
In the sixth, Kearney reached on an error to start the frame before back-to-back singles by
Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) and
Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) loaded the bases with no outs. Ciliberto worked a bases-loaded walk, which cut the deficit to 5-2 before
Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) made it a two-run game with a sac fly to left. A wild pitch gave West Chester runners on second and third once again, which allowed another sac fly, this time from
Madison Peck (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford) to cut the deficit to 5-4 with two outs in the sixth.
Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) battled her way to a walk, which gave the Golden Rams runners on the corners with two outs and pinch hitter
Sabrie Purnell (New Castle, Del./William Penn) coming to the plate. Callie Sowers eighth punch out of the afternoon could not have come at a better time for the Huskies as the veteran escaped the jam with a one-run lead with a strikeout looking.
Edwards returned to the circle in relief of Tooley in the home sixth after a leadoff single and worked around the early runner well, using just seven pitches for a scoreless inning, keeping the deficit at one heading into the seventh.
Miller led off the seventh with a single and moved to second on a sac bunt by Kearney before a single by Melvin gave West Chester runners on second and third with two outs. Ciliberto who played the hero in the sweep of Shepherd on Friday found herself in a 3-2 count with a PSAC Tournament spot on the line and hit a slow roller to second, which she nearly beat out but a strong play by Taylor Kranzley got her at first and ended the Golden Ram comeback bid.
Sowers earned the win for Bloomsburg, her 17th of the season, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out nine.
