Published: April 18, 2008 11:12 pm         

PSC needs two wins to capture WPCC title

Top-seeded and regular-season champion Potomac State split two tournament games on Friday and will need to beat host Westmoreland twice today in order to win the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference Tournament.

Both of Friday’s games were reduced to five innings by the mercy rule. The Catamounts (18-10) clubbed Garrett, 18-1, then lost to second-seeded Westmoreland, 13-2.

Potomac State and Westmoreland are the only remaining teams in the double-elimination tournament, and play today at 11 a.m. If Potomac State wins, a second game will follow.

In Friday’s first-round game the Catamounts scored five runs in the first inning, six in the second and seven in the third against the Lakers.

Ashley Metcalfe highlighted the big first inning with a grand slam, and finished with four hits and six runs batted in. She had a double and two singles in addition to the grand slam.

Michelle Cain hit a double and single and had three RBIs. Morgan Mitchell doubled and singled and Ashly Sites singled twice.

Metcalfe pitched the first three innings for the win and teamed with Lindsey Twigg and Sites for a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts. Metcalfe fanned seven in the first three innings and Twigg struck out the side in the only inning she worked.

Mindy Sharp had Garrett’s only hit, an RBI single in the top of the first.

In the second game it was Westmoreland getting the big early lead. Four unearned runs in the first inning and a three-run second made it 7-1. The Wolfpack put it away with a six-run fifth.

Kelsey Criner went 4-for-4 with a double and three singles while Jessica Lint doubled and singled for Westmoreland. Nikkie Lindbergh allowed only two hits, struck out eight and did not walk a batter in getting the win.

Lindsey Twigg smacked a solo home run in the second inning and scored on a double by Metcalfe in the fourth for Potomac State.

Westmoreland had 13 hits but only five of their runs were earned because of four Potomac State errors.