MELBOURNE, FL.- After a split with Southern New Hampshire to open its week in Florida on Saturday, the West Chester Softball team (2-6) split another doubleheader in the Sunshine State on Sunday with a win over Bentley (7-6) on Sunday morning before falling to the University of Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon by a 5-3 final.
Game One: WCU 7 Bentley 6
WP: Danielle Ciliberto (1-4)
LP: Taylor Zajac (1-4)
S: Alyssa Tooley (1)
Bentley jumped out to an early 2- lead on Sunday morning before West Chester scored five runs in the home half of the first via RBI singles by
Ceara O'Neal (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert), Julia Miller (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) and
Tess Kearney (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) along with a fielding error by the Falcons to take a 5-2 lead.
West Chester stretched its lead to 7-3 in the third with a two-run home run by
Emma Zoldi (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) before Bentley got a run back in the fourth via a double steal to cut the lead to 7-3.
The Falcons scored three in the seventh to nearly come all the way, but
Alyssa Tooley (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) entered in relief and slammed the door, getting the final two outs of the game as West Chester escaped with a 7-6 victory.
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) earned her first win of the young season with 6.1 innings, where she allowed six runs on 11 hits, while striking out one.
Taylor Zajac suffered the loss for Bentley, allowing seven runs (two earned) on nine hits and a walk, while striking out a pair.
Miller was 2-for-3 in the win with two runs and an RBI, while
Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) was the other Golden Ram with a multi-hit morning, going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Game Two: Indy 5 WCU 3
WP: Caitlin Bunte (7-1)
LP: Maci Strechay (0-2)
S: Cheyenne Eads (1)
Indianapolis jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with a two-RBI single up the middle in the first inning before West Chester got two runs right back in the third with a sac fly from Ciliberto and an RBI single by
Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the home third.
West Chester took its first and only lead of the afternoon in the fifth inning when
Avelyn Van Heyst () laced a single to right, which scored
Ella Heap () and gave the Golden Rams a 3-2 lead.
Indy answered back with three runs in the sixth, including a two-run home run to take a 6-3 lead that the Greyhounds would not relinquish.
Maci Strechay (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits, while walking three and striking out three. Tooley got the final two outs of the game, allowing one walk, while striking out another.
Caitlin Bunte earned the win for Indy with six innings, which saw her scatter 11 hits and three runs, while striking out four. Cheyenne Eads earned the save with a scoreless, two-strikeout inning in relief.
Up Next
West Chester will enjoy a day off tomorrow before returning to action on Tuesday against Winona State and Nova Southeastern at 10 a.m. and 12:15, respectively.
