Game One
Game Two
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Drew Pare recorded a pair of two-run triples, and Kyle Bechter finished the day 4-for-7 with three runs scored and two RBI in leading No. 15 West Chester to a doubleheader sweep over visiting New Haven Sunday afternoon, 5-0 and 10-3, in a non-league baseball match-up at Serpico Stadium.
West Chester (10-0) remains perfect on the young season while New Haven (0-6) is still in search of its first win of the spring campaign.
The Golden Rams rode the arm of right-hander Chris Powl (3-0) through five innings in the opener. He allowed just two hits and struck out five without yielding a run or a walk. Eric Carmichael relieved Powl in the sixth and finished up allowing one hit and striking out two to combine with Powl for the shutout.
Pare laced a two-run triple to left-center field to highlight a three-run third inning, which put the hosts on top 3-0. The Rams came mere inches away from trailing 2-0 after the top half of the frame. New Haven cleanup hitter, Michael Moras launched a high fly ball down the left field line that went just foul.
West Chester tacked on three in their half and then put the game out of reach in the fifth on back-to-back doubles from Blair Dameron and Kevin McGrath. Dameron’s two-bagger sent Matt Cotellese to third. However, Cotellese raced home when New Haven’s second baseman threw wildly to the shortstop trying to catch Dameron sliding into second base. McGrath followed with an RBI double to left-center.
Bechter finished 2-for-3 in the first game. Pare was 1-for-3 with the two-run triple, and Frank Nunan went 2-for-3 with two bunt singles.
In the nightcap, Jason Bowman (3-0) tossed five innings, allowing 10 hits and two runs while striking out six and not walking a batter. Greg Ball and James Rundatz each came on and pitched an inning of relief. Each walked a batter and struck out one. Rundatz allowed one run.
Pare, Bechter and McGrath all hit two-run triples in the second game. McGrath finished 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored before being lifted in the sixth inning. He was a home run short of the cycle, posting a single, double and triple in the contest. He also stole home in the third inning.
West Chester, Pa., native Dan Blake (0-2) lasted 3.1 innings in his second start of the season for New Haven. He allowed five runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out two. Chargers coach Raphael Cerrato pulled Blake during the Golden Rams’ six-run fourth after he allowed the first four batters of the inning to reach safely.
Both Bechter and Pare collected their two-run triples in that frame. Dameron hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Pare after his three-bagger chased home Bechter and Cotellese.
McGrath doubled, following Dameron’s sac fly, and Jake Griesemer grounded to the shortstop, who threw the ball away, allowing Dameron to come around and score an unearned run that capped the six-run fourth.
West Chester opened up a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Nick Spisak led off with a walk, Bechter doubled and Cotellese was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Pare lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, and after Dameron struck out, McGrath pounded a two-out, two-run triple to right-center.
Evan Okon finished 2-for-3 for the Chargers as did Jimmy Rivas. Moras and Kyle Bombace each rapped out an RBI single in the tilt. Tom Ballaro had an RBI as well. Rivas went 2-for-2 in the opener. Dan Rosa had the only other hit for New Haven in game one – a two-out triple in the sixth. He was stranded at third.
West Chester will take on Bloomfield University on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in another non-league tilt during Spring Break week.
