WEST CHESTER, Pa.- After needing just 10 innings to complete a sweep of Mansfield yesterday afternoon, the West Chester University softball team (24-15, 12-8) returned to action on Sunday for a doubleheader against Lock Haven (13-21, 9-23). West Chester dropped the opener by a 3-1 final but won the nightcap by a 5-3 final score to split the doubleheader and win the season series after sweeping a doubleheader at Lock Haven earlier this season.

Game One: LHU 3 WCU 1

Lock Haven jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Summer Peters golfed a home run to right to give the visitors an early one-run advantage.

Peters extended the lead to three with a bases-clearing double in the sixth as the Bald Eagles carried a 3-0 lead into the home sixth.

In the home half of the sixth, Hailey Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) laced a triple down the right field line, which later allowed Emma Zoldi (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) to score on an RBI single up the middle to cut the deficit to 3-1. West Chester continued to threaten as the sixth continued and got a pair of runners on in the seventh, but Madison Wolfgang was able to work out of trouble to improve to 1-1 on the year with a complete-game victory in the circle.

Wolfgang was excellent for Lock Haven on Saturday, pitching a dominant seven innings, which saw her hold the Golden Rams hitless through the first five innings. Wolfgang scattered just four hits and three walks during her seven innings of work while striking out four to earn the victory.

Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) (13-7) took the loss in the circle, allowing three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out six. Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton) entered in relief and pitched the final 1.1, striking out three to keep West Chester within striking distance down the stretch.

Game Two: WCU 5 LHU 3

After nearly being no-hit in game one, West Chester jumped out to an early lead in game two, using a defensive miscue by the Bald Eagles, coupled with heads-up baserunning to take an early 2-0 lead into the second.

Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) led off the game with a single down the first-base line and eventually scored on an errant throw by the Lock Haven shortstop, while Grace Aguilar (Frederica, Del./Lake Forest) moved up to third on this same error.

This effort by Aguilar allowed the veteran infielder to score on a sac fly by Alexa Peterson (Exton, Pa./Bishop Shanahan), giving the hosts the early two-run lead.

Lock Haven tied the game at 2-2 in the third with a pair of two-out singles after a West Chester error extended the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Melvin and Rittenbaugh reached on back-to-back singles to right, the Golden Ram's first hits since the first inning, which, after a walk by Aguilar, led to West Chester retaking the lead on a fielder's choice off the bat of Hailey Melvin.

Leading 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Mairead Hopkins (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) led off the inning with a double to right center before moving to third on a line-drive single by Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock). Hopkins scored on an RBI single by Lauryn Kane (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh), which stretched the lead to 4-2 and led to a pitching change for Lock Haven. West Chester pushed across another run via another fielders choice to take a 5-2 lead into the seventh.

Persing ended her day with a final line of five runs (two earned) on six hits while walking four and striking out a pair before exiting for Keiva Middleton, who looked to escape the jam. Middleton got her first out via the infield-fly rule and did allow one more run to cross but limited the damage to keep the deficit at three heading into the seventh.

Mary Picozzi (Collegeville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) got the start and pitched the first 2.2 innings in the circle, yielding a pair of unearned runs on three hits while striking out three before exiting for Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton). Edwards (8-6) came in and escaped the third inning quickly before pitching well over the next 3.2 before exiting for Ciliberto with runners on second and third and two outs in the seventh.  In her four innings of work, Edwards allowed one unearned run while walking one and striking out four.

Needing just one out to secure the split, series victory, and her fourth save of the season, Ciliberto got a ground ball to short, but Aguilar mishandled it as Lock Haven cut the deficit to 5-3 and remained alive for at least another batter. Ciliberto secured the save with this next batter, getting a ground ball to second for a fielder's choice to help West Chester split the doubleheader and win the season series.

Up Next:

West Chester returns to action on Tuesday at Millersville beginning at 2 p.m. as the Golden Rams continue their second turn through PSAC East action.