Game 1
Game 2
WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Shippensburg University softball junior Rachelle Wedell went 5-for-6 with a run, but it wasn't enough as West Chester used timely hitting to earn a pair of one-run victories over the Lady Raiders, 7-6 and 2-1, taking over third place in the PSAC Eastern Division standings in the process.
Shippensburg (26-22, 9-11 PSAC East), who fell below .500 in the conference standings for the first time this season, entered the day one game ahead of the Golden Rams for the third and final playoff spot from the Eastern Division in next week's PSAC Softball Championship.
Meanwhile, West Chester (30-17, 10-10 PSAC East) is now one game in front of the Lady Raiders who fall to fourth, just ahead of East Stroudsburg. The Warriors split a doubleheader at Millersville Tuesday and are currently tied with Shippensburg with nine conference wins each.
Trailing 5-2 going into the top of the seventh of game one, the Lady Raiders scored four runs to take a one-run lead with sophomore Lisamarie Ramagli driving in both the game-tying and go-ahead runs with a two-run single that scored junior Lori Knopf and freshman Hope Cornell.
It was Ramagli's only hit of the game as she finished 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
However, in the bottom of the inning, the Golden Rams loaded the bases with one out after Jamie McComb reached on a fielder's choice and a throwing error. Tara Colantuono then scored during the next at-bat on a wild pitch to tie the game at 6-6.
Megan Harbaugh was then intentionally walked to load the bases once again before Erin MacNamee drove in the game-winning run with an RBI-single to left.
Colantuono went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs while MacNamee and Stefani Kerbacher each totaled two hits. The first three spots in the West Chester order totaled seven of the team's 11 hits and drove in four of its seven runs.
Shippensburg senior Dani Shields lost her seventh decision of the season and fourth in her last six starts after surrendering 11 hits and seven earned runs.
In game two, the Lady Raiders fell behind 2-0 after four innings after McComb and Jackie DiPaola had RBI singles in the third and fourth against senior Jill Kirby.
Kirby scattered nine hits and allowed just two earned runs while striking out three, but suffered her sixth loss of the season. In her last two starts, she has allowed only three runs and 12 hits over 13.0 innings. She has also struck out nine over that time.
Shippensburg cut the Golden Ram lead in half with an RBI-double to left by senior Amanda Bardo, but after Knopf scored the first run, freshman Dana Ward, pinch running for Ramagli, was thrown out at the plate, preventing the game-tying run.
Earlier in the inning, Cornell was also thrown out while trying to advance to third on a single to left by Knopf. Had Cornell stayed at second, the Lady Raiders would have had runners at first and second with one out when Ramagli drew a walk. With the bases loaded, Bardo's double should have scored at least two and possibly three runs which would have given Shippensburg a 3-2 lead.
In addition, Kirby retired all three West Chester batters she faced in the bottom of the sixth.
In the seventh, the Lady Raiders had runners at the corners with two outs before Shannon Padula got Stengl to ground out to end the game.
Padula, who also earned the victory in game one after throwing just two-thirds of an inning in relief, picked up her 23rd win of the season, limiting Shippensburg to just one earned run and scattering eight hits.
Cornell, Knopf and Wedell each went 2-for-3 with Knopf adding a run scored. Bardo finished 1-for-3 with one RBI.
The Lady Raiders return home to face No. 10-ranked Kutztown in a PSAC Eastern Division doubleheader on Friday at Robb Field for Senior Day. First pitch is at 2:30 p.m. Between games, Shippensburg will honor its five seniors in Stengl, Shields, Kirby, Bardo and Liz Good.
On Saturday, the Lady Raiders will conclude the regular season on the road at Mansfield looking to advance to their sixth PSAC Softball Championship in the last seven years.
