Game One
Game Two
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – West Chester’s Chris Powl pitched a one-hit shutout in game one of a PSAC baseball doubleheader, but visiting Kutztown hammered out 15 hits in the nightcap to salvage a split, 13-3, at Serpico Stadium on Friday afternoon.
No. 14 West Chester (38-10, 11-7 PSAC East) fell into second place in the league standings as a result of Millersville sweeping East Stroudsburg to earn the first of three playoff spots. Kutztown (23-21, 9-9) remained alive for one of the other two positions as a result of the sweep.
Powl (7-2) was masterful in the opener, earning his 20th career win on Senior Day. He walked one and struck out seven. Kutztown’s Garrison Rausch doubled to lead off the fifth inning for the Bears’ only hit of the contest. He was stranded after a flyout to centerfield, a strikeout and a flyout to right ended the threat.
West Chester’s Matt Cotellese scored both runs for the hosts in the win. He singled to lead off the fourth and moved to second on a single by Drew Pare. Blair Dameron followed with a grounder back to the mound that the pitcher, Philip Rummel, bobbled but recovered to get Pare at second base. Dameron was safe at first on a fielder’s choice.
The Rams then pulled a double steal, and Cotellese slid in under the tag at the plate for the first run of the game. Kutztown catcher Matt Kulbacki threw to the shortstop, but the relay back home was too late.
Cotellese then tripled to lead off the sixth inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Pare.
Rummel (4-5) went the distance for Kutztown and pitched well, despite the loss. He allowed two runs on six hits, walked one and struck out six.
The two sides combined to score seven runs in the first inning of the nightcap with Kutztown holding on to a slim 4-3 lead after one. The Bears plated four in their first at bats, highlighted by a three-run home run from Kulbacki, his sixth of the season. West Chester responded with back-to-back smashes from Cotellese and Pare to cut the lead to one. Cotellese’s league-leading 10th home run of the season, a two-run shot, disappeared into the pine trees behind the left field fence. Pare followed with a bomb to left center.
Unfortunately for Rams’ starter Jason Bowman (8-1), he could not settle down in the second inning and was lifted after allowing two more runs. Bowman lasted just one and two-thirds innings, allowing six runs on six hits and walking one in his worst outing of the year.
Greg Ball came on and got out of the second. He pitched two innings and yielded two more runs on two hits. He walked two and struck out two. Chris Caldwell finished the remaining three and one-third, giving up seven hits and five runs. He walked two and struck out two.
Six different Golden Rams each collected one hit in the loss.
West Chester and Kutztown lock horns again tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader to close out the regular-season portion of the 2008 schedule. The Golden Rams need at least a split to earn a bid to the PSAC Championships next Wednesday thru Saturday.
This year’s PSAC baseball tournament will be held at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster, Pa.
