WEST CHESTER, Pa.- The West Chester University softball team (30-19, 18-12) remained home on Friday afternoon for a Senior Day battle against an old rival in Kutztown (29-20, 17-13). West Chester concluded its home regular-season slate on Friday with a 7-4 comeback victory in game one before dropping the nightcap by a 9-3 final to split the season series with the Golden Bears.

Prior to today's doubleheader, West Chester honored its senior class of Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove), Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic), Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca), Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest), and Alexa Peterson (Exton, Pa./Bishop Shanahan).
 

With the 7-4 victory in game one, West Chester clinched a spot in the PSAC Tournament when gets underway next week, however, seeding remains to be determined after play concludes this weekend as spots two through five in the PSAC East standings are separated by just a game entering the final weekend of the regular season.

Game One: WCU 7 Kutztown 4

Kutztown jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after a sac fly in the second and a series of singles in the third.

West Chester cut the deficit down to just one in the home third with a towering two-run home run off the bat of Aguilar.

Kutztown used a defensive miscue following a fly ball down the right field-line in the top of the fourth to stretch its lead back to 4-2, however, this would be the Golden Bears last lead of the game.

West Chester tied the game up after a throwing error by the Kutztown third baseman on a bunt single by Melvin, which saw the ball make its way all the way to the centerfield fence, scoring both Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh), who had moved to second on the bunt and Melvin as the score was suddenly tied at 4-4.

Casey Best (Wilmington, Del./Concord) gave West Chester its first lead of the game later in that inning with an RBI single into center before Melvin doubled the lead in the sixth with an RBI single to left, scoring younger sister Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) from third. The Golden Rams tacked on another insurance run later in the frame with a sac fly from Rittenbaugh as the once-trailing Golden Rams found themselves out in front 7-4 heading into the seventh.

Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) was excellent in relief of Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon), entering in relief in the fourth and allowing just one unearned run while not allowing a hit and striking out four to improve to 10-6 on the year.

Natalee Harvey (12-11) took the loss for Kutztown, working the full six innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on nine hits while walking a pair and striking out four.

Game Two: Kutztown 9 WCU 3

Kutztown jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a two-run home run to right center before pushing across another in the second to take a 3-0 lead.

West Chester got a run back after a single by Tess Kearney (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh), and an ensuing throwing error scored Alexa Peterson (Exton, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Kutztown countered with two more runs in the top of the third, which closed the book on Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic), who worked the first 2.1, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out a pair.

Edwards entered in relief and picked up where she left off in game one, getting two quick outs via foul balls to escape the inning with West Chester trailing 5-1.

Kutztown used a three-run home run in the fourth to stretch its lead to 8-1 before West Chester loaded the bases in the fourth and got a run back via a sacrifice fly from Rittenbaugh, which cut the deficit to 8-2 heading into the fifth.

In the top of the sixth, Ciliberto entered in relief of Edwards and found herself in a jam with runners on the corners and one out. The sophomore escaped the jam quickly after just one pitch as Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) teamed up with Rittenbaugh to catch the runner stealing before doubling off the Golden Bear on third as she tried to break for the plate once the throw found its way through to second, giving West Chester one of the more unique inning-ending double plays seen in a long time.

After a scoreless home half of the sixth, Kutztown tacked on a run in the seventh as the Golden Bears stretched their lead to 9-2 over the Golden Rams.

Playing in what may have been her final game on the West Chester softball field, Melvin ripped the 2-2 offering into the left-center gap for a double to start the home seventh and scored on a fielding error just two batters later as Aguilar reached to keep a runner on and cut the deficit to 9-3. Best lined a single through the left side two batters later, giving West Chester runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh. Gravish escaped the jam with a fielder's choice as the Golden Bears escaped South Campus with a doubleheader and season series split against the Golden Rams.

Picozzi (3-3) suffered the loss in the circle, allowing five runs on seven hits, while striking out a pair in 2.1 innings of work. Edwards worked three innings in relief, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out two as well, while Ciliberto pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits in the setback.

Haley Gravish (16-9) earned the split for Kutztown after scattering three runs (two earned) on seven hits and four walks while striking out four on 121 pitches.

Up Next:

West Chester returns to action tomorrow for its regular-season finale at Shepherd beginning at 1 p.m.