Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
WCU wins first-ever PSAC softball title
Cat Hammer hit a three-run home run, and West Chester University rode the left arm of junior hurler Amanda Houck to its first softball conference title in school history with a 6-0 victory over Bloomsburg in the PSAC Championship Game at Veteran’s Park in Quakertown Saturday night.
West Chester (44-10) scored twice in the first and then added a threerun blast in the third to jump out in front 5-0. The Golden Rams later tacked on another run in the fourth for the final count against Bloomsburg (31-18).
Houck (31-3) was named the most valuable player for her part in the tournament. She won all four games inside the circle for the Golden Rams, allowing just four runs in 26 innings of work, pitching West Chester to the title.
Boys’ Tennis
CHES-MONT NATIONAL DIVISION DOUBLES >> The Downingtown West duo of Brett Graybill and Dylan McKay captured the Ches-Mont National Division Boys Doubles championship, defeat- ing Justin Aksu and Ro- hit Krishnagopal of West Chester East in the championship finals, 7-6 (4), 6-2. The Downingtown East duo of Jason Listmeier and Luc DeCecco finished third.
Boys Lacrosse
CONESTOGA 19, PENNRIDGE
1>> The Pioneers (14-3, 9-1) roared to a 16-0 halftime lead. Tommy Sopko scored a hat trick for Conestoga, as the Pioneers had 15 different players score goals. The Pioneers, who are tied with Garnet Valley for first place in the Central League, have one league game remaining, against Lower Merion May 9.
AVON GROVE 17, RIDLEY 4
>> Joey Borky scored five goals for the winning Red Devils, while Jake Smith and Zack Augustine each had a hat trick. Augustine and Scooter Whiteside combined for seven assists.
BISHOP SHANAHAN 8, BOYERTOWN 0 >> Gabe Goforth led the Eagles with a hat trick in their shutout win Saturday. Other Shanahan contributors included Sam Goforth (two goals, one assist, 6-for-6 on faceoffs), Kyle Gucwa (two assists), Connor Heisman (two goals, two assists) and goalie Chris Schoener (five saves).
UNIONVILLE 10, METHACTON 5 >> The Indians got scoring from Will Ciccarelli (four goals), Zach Lawrence (three goals), Drew Lenkaitis (two goals), John Quillman (one goal) and Jerry Ulatowski (two assists). Garett Rogers won 16 faceoffs and Owen Rogers recorded 12 saves.
Baseball
HAVERFORD SCHOOL 16, CONESTOGA 5 >> Eric Wadjula and Luke Borger each had multi-hit games for the Pioneers. Patrick Lui, Jimmy Arvan, Borger, and Wadjula each had an RBI.
Women’s Softball
CSAC CHAMPIONSHIP >> Immaculata University’s softball team advanced to the Colonial States Athletic Conference championship final on Sunday after eliminating fourth-seed Cabrini from the conference tournament, 3-2, Saturday afternoon. The Mighty Macs will take on second-seeded Neumann University at noon on Sunday at Marywood University. Neumann defeated Cabrini, 5-2, to advance to the championship game. Immaculata will need to defeat Neumann twice on Sunday to claim the CSAC title in the double elimination format tournament. Sunday’s appearance marks the first time that Immaculata has played in a softball championship game since the Mighty Macs finished as the conference runner-up during the 2009 season. Immaculata scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the second inning. Michaela Petito reached on a fielder’s choice, and Petito scored as Meghan Kugler reached on an error and ended up at third base. Kayla Sponsel then walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. Immaculata then loaded the bases for Abigail Carter after Victoria Post walked. Carter singled into short right center to score both Kugler and Sponsel as the Mighty Macs took a 3-1 lead. Carter was 2-for-4 with two RBIs to lead Immaculata at the plate. Petito picked up the win (12-7) going seven innings. She allowed two runs, one earned run, on six hits. She struck out one and did not surrender any walks.
Women’s Lacrosse
PSAC SEMIFINALS >> Mercyhurst’s Carly Zimmerman scored 2:29 into overtime to lift the Lakers to a 13-12 overtime victory against West Chester in the semifinals of the PSAC Tournament at Whitenight Field Saturday afternoon. West Chester (12-5), which held a 9-6 advantage at halftime, managed just three goals in the second half while Mercyhurst (134) mounted a comeback and tied the game with 1:19 left in regulation. It marks the third straight year in which the Lakers have ousted the Golden Rams from the PSAC Tournament. This one also brings to an end the 2017 campaign. Tatum Altman scored four goals and two assists while Dina Cifelli scored twice and handed out four assists – all in the first half – to lead West Chester’s offense. Fellow senior Ashley Pyle scored twice and assisted on another. Mercyhurst trailed 12-9 with seven minutes left in regulation. But, the Lakers scored the last four goals and picked up the last three ground balls in the game to storm back and take the win out of West Chester’s hands. The loss brings to a close the careers of two of West Chester’s Top 10 all-time scoring leaders. Dina Cifelli’s two goals and four assists gives her 305 career points and 222 career assists. She finishes third alltime in DII history in assists while finishing fifth in school history in points. Ashley Pyle finishes up her career with 158 goals and 114 assists for 272 career points.
Men’s & Women’s Track
KEHOE TWILIGHT MEET >> A Lincoln University track and field record that stood for 69 years was broken not once, not twice but three times Friday afternoon as Eriq Royal took home first place in the event at the Kehoe Twilight Meet in College Park, Md. The meet, hosted by the University of Maryland, served as a lastchance meet for the competitors to attempt to better their qualifying times or qualify for the upcoming IC4A/ECAC Championship meets or the NCAA Championship meet later this month. Prior to Royal’s record setting performance at Friday’s meet the Lions’ men’s javelin record was held by Sherman Patterson, a three-sport athlete (football, basketball and track) while attending Lincoln. Patterson had set the mark of 51.96 meters (170’ 6”) at the 1948 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship meet. Royal eclipsed that mark on his second throw of the competition, as his toss traveled 52.18 meters. On his next two throws Royal, bettered the mark with tosses of 53.33 meters and 54.45 meters (178’ 8”) etching his name into the Lincoln record books. Royal’s throw was the best in the competition, giving him a first place finish and ten points for the team. Teammate Solomon Potter also threw a personal best in the event with a toss of 42.18 meters (138’ 5”) to place second in the event. Lincoln’s 32 points in the three field events they competed in were an integral part of the team’s 63 total points, placing them third in the competition behind Division I host Maryland (136) and Hagerstown C.C. 65). Seven colleges competed at the meet, including Division I Georgetown University, Villanova University and Coppin State University along with fellow CIAA school, Bowie State University.