WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Millersville softball team (14-14, 2-0 PSAC) improved to .500 for the first time since mid-March with their sweep of the West Chester Golden Rams on Saturday. Both games came down to the wire, with the winning run stranded in scoring position, as Millersville recorded the final out in both ends of the doubleheader.
 
Millersville led from start to finish in game one, squandering a late inning West Chester comeback in the process. Alex Schaefer pitched her first complete game of the season in the circle as she helped lead 'Ville to a win in the teams PSAC East opener.
 
Schaefer also earned the save in game two, coming in to stop the West Chester rally mid-way through the seventh inning. Gabby D'Ottavio led the Marauder offense with a pair of first inning home runs, giving Millersville the early lead in both ends of the doubleheader.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME ONE: Millersville 7 – West Chester 6

• The Marauders jumped ahead 4-0 in the first on a grand slam by D'Ottavio, as Millersville would lead the game from start to finish.
• West Chester was able to score one in the bottom of the first, cutting the Millersville lead to three.
• 'Ville added another three runs in the third, going ahead 7-1. Marli Schreiner got the scoring started when she pulled a single down the left field line, plating Sam Fried. Aleese Angelo added to the Marauder lead with a two-run single, bring Breanna Clayton and Schreiner around to score.
• Again, the Rams responded to the Marauder outburst with a run in the bottom of the third. West Chester added another run in the sixth, making it a 7-3 Marauder lead heading into the final inning of play.
• West Chester finally got to Schaefer in the seventh, scoring three runs to make it a 7-6 Millersville lead. Schaefer was able to recover, ending the game with the tying run on third and the winning run on second base as she worked out of a bases loaded jam.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Schaefer (6-5) scattered 11 hits over her complete game, walking two while striking out five. This was her first complete game of the season.
• West Chester outhit Millersville 11-7.
• All seven hits for the Marauders came from different players, with no players recording multiple hits in the win.

GAME TWO: Millersville 5 – West Chester 4

• D'Ottavio again was the catalyst for the Marauder offense, blasting another first inning home run as she put Millersville ahead 2-0.
• Gabi Turner added to the early lead with a solo home run in the fifth, putting the Marauders ahead 3-0.
• Similar to game one, the Golden Rams would get to the Marauder starter late in the game. Morgan Crutcher, who had thrown four shutout innings to begin her outing, was tagged for four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, giving West Chester its first lead of the day.  
• The lead wouldn't last long, as the Marauders responded in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run from Schreiner, going ahead 5-4.
• With the Rams threatening in the seventh, Millersville turned to game one starter Alex Schaefer to put a stop to the West Chester rally. Schaefer would strike out a pair of batters as she picked up her first save of the season, stranding the winning run in scoring position for the second time in as many games.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• D'Ottavio homered in the first inning of both games, bringing her season total to four home runs.

• Crutcher improved to 6-6 in the circle with the win. She went into the seventh inning for the sixth consecutive start, allowing four runs (three earned) to score as she scattered 10 West Chester hits while striking out a pair of Golden Rams.

• Schaefer threw a complete game in game one and picked up the save in game two.
• West Chester outhit Millersville 11-8.

REACTION FROM HEAD COACH JEN PROBST:
On the pair of home runs from D'Ottavio: "Gabby has just stuck to the process and worked really hard at practice. She goes into each at bat like it's a new game, new opportunity. She's consistently taking her swing. I am also really proud of her teammates getting quality at bats before her to make those home runs even more impactful."
 
On the pressure late in both games: "We've had a lot of tough games this spring where we have walked away just not feeling like us. Today it clicked and we gave a great effort all around."
 
On the clutch hitting from Schreiner: "Marli had some tough at bats today. She stepped up when the pressure was on."

UP NEXT
Millersville continues its road stand with another pair of PSAC East matchups as the Marauders will take on Mansfield in a doubleheader on Sat, April 9. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.