QUAKERTOWN, Pa.- Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove) went 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of runs scored and three RBI, including a two-run home run in the third to help lead the West Chester University softball team (32-20) knockoff top-seed East Stroudsburg (42-14) by a 5-3 final on Thursday morning at Veterans Park in Quakertown.

2-0! @WestChesterSB keeps it rolling with a 5-3 victory over ESU and is on to Friday morning! The Golden Rams will face Kutztown at 10 am on Friday! pic.twitter.com/K3XDN9mSA7

— West Chester Golden Rams (@WCUAthletics) May 2, 2024

"This was another great team win," opened head coach Diane Lokey. "Danielle and Makenzie did a great job in the circle, and we got some key hits when needed. This team is so selfless and working so hard for each other, so I'm very proud of them," continued Lokey.

When asked about the Golden Ram's offensive explosion over the last two games as the team has scored 17 runs in its first two games in Quakertown, Lokey said, "I think we know the season is long, and there are times when we can get away from our approach and maybe aren't as locked in as we need to be. Right now, the team is super locked in, and it's showing as we are having some great at-bats, which is working out great."

Playing in its 170^th game against ESU but first against the Warriors in a PSAC Tournament game, West Chester began the latest chapter in its history vs East Stroudsburg with a victory on Thursday morning, jumping out to a 2-0 lead after three innings and never relinquishing this advantage to punch its ticket to the Semifinals on Friday morning. Today's victory marks the first time that West Chester has opened the PSAC Tournament in Quakertown a perfect 2-0 since the 2017 season, which eventually led to the Golden Rams winning the PSAC Tournament crown over Bloomsburg by a 6-0 final.

"It was a great win," opened Rittenbaugh. "This team is fighting for each other right now, and everything seems to be clicking. Our bats have gotten hot at a great time, so we are just hoping to keep our momentum heading into tomorrow."

After a three-pitch first inning, Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove) was the first baserunner of the game as she laced a one-out double to help the Golden Rams threaten early.

PSAC East Rookie and Pitcher of the Year, Sarah Davenport, worked around the early runner well, escaping the inning without allowing a run.

In the top of the second, Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) continued to look sharp in the circle, getting two quick outs before allowing her first single of the game to Denva-Shaw Tait. Ciliberto worked around this runner well to keep the ESU offense off the scoreboard into the home half of the second.
In the home third, Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) laced a single through the middle and came around to score moments later when Rittenbaugh launched her second home run of the season and second hit of the day over the right-center field fence to give the Golden Rams an early 2-0 lead.

Things remained scoreless through the fourth until East Stroudsburg got itself on the scoreboard with a solo home run to center off the bat of Jada Smallwood, cutting the Golden Ram lead to 2-1 in the top of the fifth. The Warriors continued to threaten as they got a pair of two-out singles, putting runners on first and second with Reilly Vicendese, who was 1-for-2 on the afternoon at the plate. After a quick mound visit by head coach Diane Lokey, Ciliberto battled back and got a huge strikeout swinging to hold onto the one-run lead heading into the home fifth.

West Chester got the run back quickly in the home fifth as Melvin reached on an infield single and moved to third on an errant throw, which allowed her to score on a single through the right side of the infield off the bat of Rittenbaugh. Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) hit her second home run in as many days with a no-doubter to left, which plated Rittenbaugh and gave the Golden Rams a 5-1 lead over the top-seeded Warriors.

This home run led to the end of the day for Davenport as she freshman exited with two out in the fifth after allowing five runs for the second time this season, with the lone other occasion being at Nova Southeastern on February 11.

Abbie Landrum entered in relief for the Warriors and walked her first batter, Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord), before escaping the inning on a long fly ball off the bat of Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock).

Ciliberto got a quick first out in the sixth, fielding her position well on a grounder back to the circle before allowing a single to left as the Warriors once again got a runner on early in the inning. Ciliberto got a grounder to third that appeared as if it might be the double-play ball West Chester needed, but the throw went wide of the bag, giving the Warriors runners on the corners with one away. This led to the Warriors scoring a run moments later on a fielder's choice, cutting the Golden Ram lead to 5-2 with two-away in the sixth.

Ciliberto (19-8) exited with two outs in the sixth, finishing with a final line of two runs (one earned) on eight hits while striking out three to improve to 2-0 on the week.

"It certainly feels good to win again," said Ciliberto when asked about her latest triumph. "The defense did a great job again in some really crucial spots, so it was another great team win." When asked about her mindset heading into another big game vs a familiar foe tomorrow, Ciliberto said, "I think the message has to remain that we just take everything one pitch at a time, trust our stuff, and keep working the way we know how."

When asked about the effort of her sophomore pitcher, Rittenbaugh said, "She's just going out and giving this team everything she has right now. She's hot, and we are trusting in her completely."

Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) entered in relief of Ciliberto and escaped the inning with a big strikeout of Smallwood to keep the lead intact at 5-2 heading into the home sixth.

On for her first full inning of work. Landrum nearly worked a clean inning, allowing just one baserunner to reach via an error before escaping the inning with the three-run deficit intact.

In her first full inning of work, Edwards allowed a leadoff single up the middle to Kaitlin Houser but got a critical first out on a fly ball down the left-field line and a second out on a softly hit groundball to Rittenbaugh at second. East Stroudsburg continued its comeback bid with a double to left, which scored Houser and kept the Warrior's hopes alive in the seventh. Edwards ended the game with her fourth save of the year after another groundball was easily handled by Rittenbaugh, lifting West Chester to a 5-3 victory over the top-seeded Warriors.

For ESU, Davenport fell to 22-6 on the year, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits while walking one and striking out six.  Landrum pitched well in relief, allowing just one walk while striking out in her 1.1.

When asked about the dynamic of seeing another team for the fifth time tomorrow in Kutztown, Lokey said, "The message remains largely the same. We know we just need to control what we can control, and that is hitting our spots, playing strong defense, and making sure we continue to have good, competitive at-bats."

Up Next:

West Chester will face Kutztown on Friday at 10 a.m., and the winner will advance to the PSAC Championship game on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.