SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – West Chester (25-13) used a 12-hit attack en route to a 9-3 win over Shepherd University (26-11) in PSAC Tournament softball action at Sara Cree Field on Thursday. West Chester advances to play the winner of the Kutztown-East Stroudsburg series on Sunday. 

West Chester took a 1-0 lead in the second as Haleigh Karcher singled and later scored on a single by Grace Aguilar. 

Shepherd took a 2-1 lead in the third as junior third baseman Nicole Purtell (Centreville, Va./Centreville) hit a two-out single and later scored on a home run off the bat of freshman outfielder Isabella Forte (Hedgesville, W.Va./Hedgesville). 

West Chester tied the game in the fourth when Madison Melvin singled and Bri Garber followed with a double to plate Melvin. Garber's double was her 311th career hit as she established a PSAC career mark. 

The Golden Rams took a 4-2 lead in the fifth on an RBI-triple by Karcher and a sacrifice fly from  Annamarie Hartman. 

West Chester took advantage of two hits and a pair of errors to score four runs in the sixth. 

Shepherd added a run in the sixth as sophomore designated player Cameron Davis (Ayden, N.C./South Central/UNC Pembroke) singled and was replaced by freshman pinch-runner Chloee Burton (Maurertown, Va./Central). Burton scored when senior outfielder Allison Baker (Fredericksburg, Va./Stafford) reached on an error.  

The Golden Rams completed the scoring in the seventh on an RBI-single by Courtney Stump. 

Stump went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs for West Chester. Melvin added a 2-for-3 effort and scored a pair of runs. 

Davis went 2-for-3 to pace the Rams. 

Jen Hanshaw (7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 K, 1 BB) (12-4) gained the complete game win for the Golden Rams. Junior pitcher Sarah Lamper (Marshall, Va./Fauquier) (4.1 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 Ks, 4 BB) (8-5) took the loss. 

Shepherd will now wait until the regional field is announced for a possible postseason bid.