Box Score STROUDSBURG, Pa. – Third-seeded Kutztown University used a quick start and a two-out, four-run rally in the fourth to a 8-4 victory over sixth-seeded West Chester University in the first game of the 2026 NCAA Division II Softball Atlantic Regional at Creekview Park Thursday afternoon.
Kutztown (36-20) scored three runs in the first inning to jump out on top right away. Emily Henn singled to lead off the game and stole second. Alexa Stevens was then hit by a pitch, and Samantha Paetow followed with a RBI single up the middle plating Henn and pushing Stevens to third. Paetow moved up to second on West Chester's throw home. Morgan Slombowski hit a sacrifice fly and Jenna Piatkiewicz hit a two-run double.
"I felt like it just took us a little while to get going," West Chester head coach
Diane Lokey said afterwards. "We had a few other opportunities outside of the fifth. But, it just seemed like we couldn't get that extra hit."
Golden Rams' starter
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) (15-11) settled down after the first and did not allow a base runner until there were two outs in that fateful fourth. The frame started innocently enough with the first two batters retired on a ground out and strikeout. However, Ashley Schulz singled and Taylor Gearhart was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second and start the rally. Sophia Collins followed with a two-run double to make it a 5-0 contest. Henn then hit a two-run homer to left to stretch the lead to seven.
West Chester (30-26) finally got to Slabicki in the fifth.
Emma Zoldi (Newtown, Pa. Council Rock North) reached on a bunt single, and
Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) reached on an error.
Julia Miller (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) then singled to load the bases. That's when
Kayla Fitzpatrick (Carle Place, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) delivered the big blow in the frame with a three-run triple that chased Slabicki. Fitzpatrick later scored on an infield single by
Ceara O'Neal (Hamilton, N.J. Steinert).
Kutztown added an insurance tally in the sixth to make the final margin, 8-4. Kutztown scored eight runs on nine hits and made two errors. West Chester scored four runs on eight hits. The Golden Rams did not make an error.
Fitzpatrick finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI. Zoldi went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Inside the circle, Ciliberto (15-11) lasted 3.2 innings and allowed seven runs on seven hits. She struck out two.
Alyssa Tooley (Horsham, Pa. Hatboro-Horsham) came on in relief and allowed one run on two hits. She walked one and struck out one. Slabicki (8-10) earned the win. She went four innings and allowed four runs, only two of them earned, on six hits. She walked one and struck out one. Haley Gravish (3) came on in relief to earn the save by tossing three scoreless innings.
West Chester (30-26) will take on Fairmont State (37-14) Friday at 12:30 p.m. in an elimination game in the Atlantic Region – Pod 2. Host East Stroudsburg (37-19) will take on Kutztown at 10 a.m. in a winner's bracket contest.
