West Chester Splits Doubleheader With Gannon

Charlotte Conaway hit a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth that lifted host West Chester to a 4-3 victory over visiting Gannon and earned a split of the PSAC crossover softball doubleheader on South Campus Saturday afternoon.
 
The bats came alive in extra innings for both sides as the game was knotted at 1-1 after regulation. Gannon (23-10) scored a run in the top half of the eighth inning. However, West Chester (21-20) got that run back when the Golden Knights third baseman made an error with two outs in the inning that allowed J.P. Norris to score from third.
 
When Gannon plated another run in the top of the ninth, it was West Chester’s turn once again to answer the call. Conaway was there with the game-winning hit. Jillian Murray was placed on second base per the tie-breaking rules, and Kim Murl was inserted to pinch run for Murray. Megan Kelly hit a bunt single to advance Murl to third, and Jess Russ reached on a fielder’s choice with Gannon unsuccessful in trying to get Kelly out at second. Conaway then singled to center with the bases loaded, scoring Murl and Kelly with the winning runs.
 
Gannon had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, but West Chester was able to answer right back in its half when senior catcher Nicole Cruts hit her third home run of the season to tie things up. Cruts finished 2-for-4 in the nightcap
 
Devon Utterback (10-10) evened her record on the season, going the distance and scattering eight hits while allowing only one earned run, walking two and striking out five.
 
In the opener, the Golden Rams mustered five hits that produced just two runs in a 5-2 loss. Cruts hit a RBI ground out in the first inning that cut into the Knights’ 3-0 lead. Kelly Anderson scored the only other run for the Golden Rams in the fourth.
 
Kate Skokowski (5-5) suffered the loss inside the circle. She allowed three earned runs on 10 hits in 6.1 innings of work. Utterback came on and finished up the seventh inning.
 
West Chester travels to Millersville on Tuesday for a critical PSAC doubleheader with the Marauders beginning at 2:30 p.m.