LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Lock Haven softball team wrapped up a perfect 6-0 week in thrilling fashion by sweeping West Chester in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Lawrence Field. Lock Haven won game one, 10-2, in five innings, before walking off game two, 8-7, in the bottom of the eighth.
Lock Haven swept all three of its opponents this week and has now won 10 of its last 11 games to improve to 21-13 overall and 11-7 in the PSAC East. The Haven has vaulted into a tie for second place in the Eastern Division standings and is tied with first-place Kutztown in the win column.
West Chester falls to 18-16 on the season and 8-8 in the conference.
The two schools split the home-and-home doubleheaders on the season.
Talia Ross picked up the win in the circle in both games to improve to 14-4 on the season. The sophomore struck out 12 hitters on the day and is now third in the PSAC with 129 on the year.
Game 1: Lock Haven 10, West Chester 2 (6 Innings)
Behind four-run rallies in the second and fifth innings and another dominant effort in the circle by Ross, The Haven soared to a 10-2 victory in game one.
Ross pitched all six innings in the winning effort, while limiting the Golden Rams to two runs on three hits and striking out eight.
Madison Melius and
Maci Brodzina (3 RBI) both homered, while
Olivia LaMeau (3-for-4, 2B, RBI),
Blaire Balestrini (2-for-2, 2 R, RBI) and
Hailey Irwin (2-for-4) all finished with multiple hits.
Madison Hardy (2B) and
Faith Persing both drove in a pair of runs.
Game 2: Lock Haven 8, West Chester 7 (8 Innings)
Game two was arguably the game of the year and featured five lead changes and three ties in a back-and-forth thriller.
Both clubs used three pitchers and nearly emptied their benches to pull out all the stops to scratch out the win.
West Chester struck first with three runs in the top of the third, but Lock Haven quickly answered with three equalizing runs thanks to RBIs by Irwin and Hardy.
WCU regained the lead with two runs in the top of the fourth, but Lock Haven erupted for four runs, highlighted by a three-RBI double by LaMeau to go ahead 7-5. Irwin also drove in her second run of the game during the rally.
However, West Chester countered with two runs in the top of the seventh to send the game into extras.
After loading the bases with no outs and failing to score in the bottom of the seventh, The Haven repeated that same effort by juicing the bases full with none down in the eighth. This time Lock Haven called game as Hardy ripped a single up the middle to plate
Gianna Goodman to secure the Bald Eagle victory and the sweep.
Keiva Middleton got the start for LH and went four-complete innings, while allowing four earned runs and striking out one.
Persing went the next 2.1 innings in relief and surrendered two runs before handing the ball back to game-one starter Ross. Ross shut the door in the final 1.2 innings in shutout fashion, while allowing just one hit and striking out four.
Next up for The Haven:
The Bald Eagles return to action on Tuesday, April 14 for a 2 p.m. PSAC East doubleheader at Bloomsburg.
