CWS Game Notes
CARY, N.C. - The second-ranked West Chester University Golden Rams' baseball squad opens its quest for a national championship this evening with a 5 p.m. contest against South Region champion Lynn University at the U.S. Baseball Training Complex.
West Chester stamped its ticket to the 2009 NCAA Division II College World Series Sunday afternoon with its 14-0 victory over PSAC rival Mercyhurst at Owls Field at Ted Palka Park in West Lawn, Pa. It is the second trip to the College World Series in program history. The Golden Rams last reached the national tournament playoff in 2006.
The 2009 NCAA Division II Baseball Championships got under way Saturday with the first two games of the week-long double-elimination tournament. Mesa State (Colo.) defeated Belmont Abbey (N.C.), 7-2, while Emporia State (Kan.) downed Grand Valley State (Mich.), 3-0.
The Golden Rams arrived in Cary, N.C., on Thursday night and worked out at the state-of-the-art baseball complex that Team USA calls home each of the past two days. Sunday night, they get their first opportunity to see how they match up against some of the best teams in the country.
West Chester is one of three top seeds to advance to the College World Series out of its particular region. None of the eight teams in Cary, N.C., participated in last year’s College World Series, making this year’s field brand new. UC-San Diego, Lynn, Mesa State, Dowling and Belmont Abbey are making their first appearances in the College World Series.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
West Chester was the top seed in the Atlantic Regional and went a perfect 4-0 in the tournament last week. The Golden Rams outscored their four opponents by a total of 35-6, including a 14-0 shutout over Mercyhurst in the championship game.
2009 WCU Atlantic Regional Scores
vs. Concord W, 5-3
vs. Shepherd W, 10-1
vs. Mercyhurst W, 6-2
vs. Mercyhurst W, 14-0
2009 Lynn South Regional Scores
vs. #10 Tampa W, 11-8
vs. #1 So. Arkansas W, 5-4
vs. #14 Florida So. W, 7-3
vs. #14 Florida So. W, 19-3
