Box Scores
L 10-1 (5 inn.) / L 11-8

WEST CHESTER – Freshman Jillian Murray hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning in the nightcap to help West Chester take a doubleheader from East Stroudsburg University, 10-1 and 11-8, in the Warriors' PSAC East softball opener on Friday afternoon.

Freshman Kim Murl threw a three-hitter and was backed by a seven-run first inning in the opener, which the Golden Rams (13-11, 2-2) ended after five innings. Murl came on for a two-inning save in the second game, holding off an ESU offense that scored two runs in each of the last three innings.

Both teams hit four home runs on the day, one each in the first game and three apiece in game two. Murray's fifth home run of the season put the Golden Rams in front to stay in the second game and freshman Megan Kelly added a two-run homer, the first of her career, in the sixth.

Junior catcher Alex Schubert homered in both ends of the doubleheader for ESU (9-12, 0-2), her third and fourth blasts of the season. She accounted for the Warriors' only run in the first game and hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning of the second game.

Seniors Brittany Racek and Jamie Mingis also went deep in game two, part of an 11-hit effort for the Warriors. Racek was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs, including her 13th career home run that tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the fifth. Mingis went 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs and launched a two-run shot in the sixth.

Leadoff hitter Eric MacNamee (4-for-5, four RBI, three runs) and third-place hitter Kate Kmiecinski (5-for-7, one RBI, two runs) led the West Chester offense, which had 22 hits on the day. MacNamee led off the first inning of the opener with a walk and finished it with a two-run single to give the Golden Rams a 7-0 lead, and Kmiecinski added a solo homer in the second.

In the second game, senior OF Alicea Ashe hit an RBI single in the first inning and Mingis had an RBI double in the second to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead. West Chester scored three in the bottom of the second and one in the fourth, but Mingis led off the top of the fifth with a single and Racek followed with a homer to tie the game at 4-4.

The Golden Rams retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth as MacNamee led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jessica Norris. After a single by Kmiecinski, Murray drilled her two-run homer to put West Chester in front, 7-4.

Mingis pulled the Warriors within 7-6 with her two-out, two-run homer in the sixth but West Chester came back with four more in the bottom of the frame. Kelly hit a two-run homer after a leadoff walk and MacNamee followed with a solo blast for the seventh homer of the day.

Schubert finished the scoring with her second home run of the doubleheader after freshman SS Rebecca Smith walked to lead off the inning, but the Warriors could only manage one more baserunner to fall three runs short.

Freshmen Amanda McKay and Laura Suits handled the pitching duties for the Warriors and both threw complete games. ESU is without senior Caitlin Monahan, who last stepped in the circle on March 11.

The Warriors return to PSAC East action on Saturday, traveling to Kutztown for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The games were originally scheduled to be played at ESU but were moved due to conditions at Zimbar Field.

Warriors Notes
* Brittany Racek became the fifth player in school history to reach 150 career hits, finishing the day with 151. She is currently sixth with a .348 career batting average and is fourth with 13 home runs, 49 extra-base hits, 231 total bases and 85 runs.
* Racek ranks in the top 10 in school history in 11 categories – batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, extra-base hits, total bases, stolen bases and runs scored.