QUAKERTOWN – In a back-and-forth affair that featured a total of 18 runs, 24 hits, and six home runs, the No. 15 East Stroudsburg University came up on the short end of an 11-7 loss to West Chester on PSAC Championship Saturday at Veterans' Park.

After staving off elimination for three consecutive games, the Warriors (45-15) finished the PSAC Tournament as the runner-up. The Golden Rams (34-20) claimed their third PSAC Championship in program history. ESU's four wins during the PSAC Tournament is its most in program history and its second-place finish is the best since winning the PSAC title during the 1980 season.

The Warriors – who ranked first in the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings last Wednesday – will find out their NCAA Tournament fate during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday at 10:00 a.m. on NCAA.com.

Pitching Notables

• Sarah Davenport started the contest, pitching the first 3.2 innings. She allowed nine hits and seven earned runs while striking out six batters.
• Paige Zigmund (L, 19-8) suffered the loss in relief. She conceded seven hits and four earned runs while walking three and striking out two batters.

Batting Notables

• Denva Shaw-Tait (2-3, HR) paced the offense, smacking two hits including a grand slam in the first inning.
• Katie Master (2-3, HR) smacked a clutch two-run home run to tie the game in the top of the 6th. The CCSU transfer tied the program's single-season record for home runs with her 10th dinger of the season.
• Delaney Ridgell also contributed an RBI after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for ESU's first run of the day.
• Taylor Lipkins (2-4) contributed a pair of hits, while Abigail Weirich (1-4) and Shannon Edelman (1-4) each connected on base hits.

How It Happened

• For the second consecutive game, ESU jumped to a large lead in its first at-bats. Singles by Lipkins, Weirich, and a fielder's choice loaded the bases, as Ridgell was plunked for the first run. With the bases still juiced, Shaw-Tait blasted a one-out grand slam, giving the Warriors a 5-0 lead.
• The Golden Rams got a pair of runs back in their first turn at the plate. A two-run home run by Mairead Hopkins cut the deficit to 5-2.
• WCU cut into the deficit again in the bottom of the 3rd, after an RBI single by Katelyn Rittenbaugh.
• In the bottom of the 4th, the Golden Rams took their first lead of the game with four runs on six hits. Davenport began the frame with a pair of strikeouts before allowing a single. A two-out two-run home run by Alexa Peterson evened the game at 5-5. WCU followed with a single and a double, as Grace Aguilar lifted the Rams to a lead with an RBI single. Zigmund entered the contest in relief seeking the third out. She allowed an RBI single and a walk before firing a strikeout. WCU took a 7-5 lead after four frames.
• The Warriors did not concede, as Shaw-Tait led the sixth inning with a leadoff single. After a groundout and strikeout, Master blasted her 10th home run of the season to knot the score at 7-7.
• West Chester did not allow the game to remain tied for long, as back-to-back home runs by Aguilar and Hopkins lifted the Rams to a 9-7 edge. With two outs, a fielder's choice and bases-loaded walks accounted for the 10th and 11th WCU runs.
• Edelman smacked a two-out single in the top of the 7th, but a groundout ended the comeback bid.

Up Next

• ESU will officially find out if it has earned a spot in the NCAA Atlantic Regional, along with hosting rights, on Monday at 10:00 a.m. during the NCAA Selection Show on NCAA.com.