BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – In need of a pair of wins to keep its PSAC Tournament run alive, the West Chester University softball team (30-25) fell to Indiana (Pa.) (38-18) in the first of two elimination games on Friday afternoon at Grand Slam Park in Binghamton, New York. West Chester held a slim one-run lead for much of the game before IUP scored a pair of runs in the sixth and held off West Chester for the final six outs to escape with a 2-1 victory and send West Chester back to South Campus with a 3-2 week.

"I reminded the team postgame that this game does not define our week," started head coach Diane Lokey. "We played really well this week, and I think we made some great memories over the course of these three days, so that is what I want them to take back and try to keep in the forefront of their minds. I don't want them to dwell on this result, but I do want them to take this game and use it to fuel their fire for whenever we get the chance to play again."

Holly Muni (Hamilton, N.J./Allentown) gave West Chester a one-run lead in the second inning with a two-out solo home run, which, behind a masterful pitching performance from Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon), held up into the sixth inning.

IUP had been threatening throughout the afternoon and got its leadoff batter aboard via a single to start the inning before moving her to third on back-to-back groundouts to the middle infield. Jess Cekada tied the game with an RBI single into center before scoring on a triple to left by Syd Hobbler, which gave the Crimson Hawks a one-run lead heading into the home half of the sixth.

IUP got two quick outs in the home sixth before Muni doubled and Emma Zoldi (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) worked a walk to give West Chester the tying and go-ahead runs on base for Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin). The Crimson Hawks worked around the Golden Rams new career home run record holder and escaped the inning before both teams worked 1,2,3 seventh innings to finish off a 2-1 win over the fifth-seeded Golden Rams.
Kendall Young (16-7) earned the complete-game victory for IUP, allowing one run on eight hits, while walking two and striking out one.

Ciliberto allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out five as she went the distance once again and suffered her first loss of the PSAC Tournament to fall to 15-10 on the season.

"Danielle pitched really well all week, and that was the case again today," acknowledged Lokey. "Holly had a great day at the plate as well with her home run and double, but as a unit we just didn't get that timely hit we needed to pull away, and that ended up being the key this afternoon."

After being ranked seventh in the final Regional Rankings and going 3-2 this week, including wins over California (Pa.), Kutztown, and Seton Hill, West Chester may find its way into the NCAA Tournament next week but will have to sit and wait along with a number of other NCAA Tournament hopefuls around the Atlantic Region to learn if its 2026 season will indeed continue into the NCAA Tournament once again. The Division II NCAA Softball Tournament selection show will air on NCAA.com on Monday morning at 10 a.m.