SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.V.- In need of a road sweep of Shepherd for the easiest potential pathway back to the PSAC Tournament, the West Chester University softball team (25-23, 15-15) returned to action on Friday afternoon at Shepherd (21-21, 16-14). West Chester dropped game one by a 3-1 final as the Golden Rams were stymied by an excellent pitching performance by two-time reigning National Pitcher of the Week Madelayne Ruffner before winning the nightcap by an 8-2 final to pick up an important doubleheader split with the Rams.
West Chester's playoff aspirations were dealt a blow on Friday by virtue of the Golden Rams split with the Rams and a Bloomsburg split against East Stroudsburg; however, the Golden Rams remain alive in the race heading into tomorrow, in need of a sweep of Bloomsburg on Senior Day and help to potentially earn the fifth and final playoff spot from the PSAC Eastern Division.
Game One: Shepherd 3 WCU 1
WP: Madelayne Ruffner (13-7)
LP: Maci Strechay (4-10)
After two scoreless innings to start the game, Shepherd scored the first runs of the afternoon in the third inning with five hits, including an RBI double to take a 2-0 lead.
Hailey Hartman picked up her second RBI of the afternoon with an RBI single in the fifth to take a commanding 3-0 lead into the sixth.
Ceara O'Neal (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) got West Chester on the scoreboard in the sixth with a sac fly but this was all the Golden Rams could muster off two-time defending National Pitcher of the Week, Madelayne Ruffner (13-7) in the game one setback.
Maci Strechay (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) suffered the loss in game one, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits, while walking one and striking out another in 4.0 innings.
Jaelyn Silfies (Bangor, Pa./Bangor) worked the final two innings in relief, allowing just one hit and two walks, while striking out three.
Ruffner was exceptional once again in the victory, allowing just one run on four hits and three walks, while striking out eight.
Game Two WCU 8 Shepherd 2
WP: Danielle Ciliberto (11-9)
LP: Natalee Harvey (6-9)
West Chester jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first thanks to an RBI single by
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) and a fielder's choice from
Kayla Fitzpatrick (Carle Place, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) before Shepherd countered with an RBI single of its own in the second to cut the lead to 2-1.
West Chester countered with a four-run third, including RBI singles by Fitzpatrick and
Gianna Liciardello (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) along with an O'Neal sac fly to take a 6-1 lead.
Emma Zoldi (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) stretched the lead with a solo home run in the fourth before Shepherd got a run back via a sac fly in the home fourth as the score was 7-2 heading into the fifth.
West Chester added another run in the sixth when
Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) reached safely on an error by the Rams third baseman to take an 8-2 lead.
Ciliberto earned the win as she allowed one run on eight hits, while striking out one in 5.2 innings of work. Silfies pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing one walk, while striking out another.
Natalee Harvey took the loss for Shepherd, allowing eight runs (six earned) on eight hits, while walking three and striking out four in six innings of work.
Up Next
West Chester will be back in action tomorrow at home with a doubleheader against Bloomsburg beginning at 1 p.m. on what will also be Senior Day in West Chester.
