Softball Falls to Shepherd; Earns Third Seed in PSAC Tournament
Box Score SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.V.- The West Chester University softball team (30-20, 18-13) returned to action on Saturday for a doubleheader on the final day of the regular season at the home of the PSACs Southern-most member in Shepherd (23-26, 13-18). West Chester dropped the first game of the day in an 11-inning epic before having game two called due to darkness in the fourth. The second game of the twinbill will not be resumed as seeding was determined due to other games already completed on Saturday afternoon.
Despite the game one setback, West Chester will enter the PSAC Tournament as a third seed and will play at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, against the second seed from the PSAC West, which will be either Seton Hill or Gannon, depending on the results of games on the schedule for tomorrow.
After a two-hour rain delay, West Chester found itself behind by a pair of runs after the first inning as the Rams used an RBI single and an RBI double to take an early 2-0 lead.
West Chester responded in the fourth as Paige Marabell (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) drove in a run with an RBI groundout, which cut the deficit to just one heading into the fifth.
In the fifth, Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) tripled home a run and later scored on an RBI single by Katelyn Rittenbaugh (Donaldson, Pa./Pine Grove) to give West Chester a 3-2 lead. Melvin's run in the fifth inning also allowed the graduate student to break the PSAC career runs scored record, scoring her 235th career run, passing the record previously held by Steph Denlinger of Kutztown (2006-09).
With just two outs to play with in the seventh, Shepherd tied the game up via an RBI single and forced extra innings to decide a victor.
The two sides battled throughout the next few innings,, but it wasn't until the 11th that Shepherd scored the decisive run. Alex Mantz worked a bases-loaded walk with one out in the frame to lift Shepherd to a 4-3 comeback victory on Saturday afternoon.
Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) got the start and worked the first 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out five before exiting for Makenzie Edwards (Atco, N.J./Hammonton). Edwards (10-7) suffered the loss after entering the seventh and pitching four strong innings in relief, allowing one unearned run on two hits and three walks while striking out four in the setback.
Hannah Ruffner (16-5) earned the victory in the circle after pitching 6.1 strong innings, allowing just one unearned run on five hits while walking two and striking out five. Madalayne Ruffner was also sharp on Saturday afternoon, striking out nine while allowing just one runner via a walk in four innings of work.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. at Veterans Park in Quakertown against an opponent yet to be determined.
Latest Women's Softball
- Softball Concludes 2024 Season with Pair of Losses to Charleston in Pod FinalCHARLESTON, W.V.- Following a win over regional host Charleston (49-5) on Friday afternoon, the West Chester University softball team (36-22) dropped a pair of games to the Golden Eagles on Saturday, dropping game one by an 8-6 final before falling in the nightcap by a 7-1 final. The Golden Rams game two setback brought their historic 2024 season to its conclusion, finishing just one game shy of the Super Regionals after starting a perfect 6-0 postseason for the first time since 2017.
- Softball Prepares for Rematch vs Third-Seeded Charleston in Pod Final on Saturday Afternoon at 12 p.m.CHARLESTON, W.V.- After defeating third-seeded Charleston (W.V.) (47-5) by a 2-1 final earlier today, the West Chester University softball team (36-20) finds itself just one win shy of a return trip to the Super Regionals heading into Championship Saturday as the Purple and Gold look to go unbeaten for the second week in a row. In order to complete this task and improve to 7-0 in the postseason, West Chester will need to defeat Charleston tomorrow in another elimination game for the Golden Eagles beginning at 12 p.m. at the Watt Powell Annex in Charleston, West Virginia. Should West Chester drop its first game tomorrow, it will be the Golden Ram's first loss since the last Saturday of the regular season and first postseason loss; however, it will not end the season as an if-necessary game would be played following that conclusion.
- Softball Remains Unbeaten in Postseason with 2-1 Victory over Third-Seeded Charleston (W.V.)CHARLESTON, W.V.- Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) scored a pair of runs and the West Chester University softball team (36-20) got another excellent pitching performance from Danielle Ciliberto (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) to defeat regional host Charleston (46-5) by a 2-1 final in the winner's bracket final on Friday afternoon in West Virginia. Following this win, West Chester is now the lone unbeaten team in the Charleston regional and is off to its best start to a postseason since 2017, when the team also won each of its first six games to begin the second season, as many coaches refer to it. West Chester will need just one win on Saturday to advance out of the Charleston regional and advance to Super Regionals at the home of the highest remaining seed when play begins next Tuesday.
- No. 2 Seed West Chester to Face Third-Seeded Charleston in NCAA Tournament on FridayCHARLESTON, W.V.- After winning its fifth in a row and ninth in the last 10 games, the West Chester University softball team (35-20) has shifted its attention to its next NCAA Tournament matchup vs third-seeded Charleston (W.V.) on Friday at noon.
- Softball Rolls to 4-0 Victory over Seventh-Seeded Gannon in NCAA Tournament OpenerCHARLESTON, W.V.- The second-seeded West Chester University softball team (35-20) got its 2024 NCAA Tournament underway with a victory on Thursday afternoon as the Golden Rams used a four-run fourth inning to post a 4-0 win over seventh-seeded Gannon (31-14) at the Watt Powell Softball Annex.
- Melvin Named NFCA Second Team All-RegionLOUISVILLE, Ky.- The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) released its Division II softball All-Region squad on Thursday afternoon. Madison Melvin (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) was the lone Golden Ram honored as the graduate student earned Second Team All-Region honors, marking the fourth year in a row in which she was honored in this fashion.