Box Score
BUTLER, Pa. – Conor Kerins and Kyle Weary combined on a two-hit shutout and Josh Heyne tripled and homered as West Chester won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament championship with a 10-0 victory over rival Kutztown at Pullman Park Saturday afternoon.
West Chester (38-10) came out of the loser’s bracket and won four straight games over the last two days to claim its seventh conference crown and first since 2009. The win also avenged a 4-2 loss to Kutztown on Thursday in the second round of the PSAC Tournament. Kutztown (35-17) now waits until May 13th to see where they will be matched up in the NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament.
“I knew it would take a full team effort,” first-year head coach Jad Prachniak said when asked about his team’s 4-0 run over the last two days. “We got contributions from everybody in the order, and everyone who took the mound for us did an outstanding job.”
The Golden Rams earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of their conference championship. The NCAA Atlantic Regional will take place May 17-20 at a site to be announced on May 13.
Heyne was named the tournament’s most outstanding player after his 2-for-4 and five RBI performance in the championship game Saturday. He hit .391 (9-for-23) with 10 RBI in the Golden Rams six games during the tournament. The senior shortstop did not make an error in 25 chances.
West Chester scored four runs in the third inning with the help of a pair of wild pitches from Kutztown starter Trent Mertz (3-5). Mike Raimo also knocked in a run with a safety squeeze prior to the wild pitches.
The Rams loaded the bases again in the sixth when Heyne cleared the bags with a triple. Reid Pulford followed with a sacrifice fly to left. In the eighth, Matt Baer doubled and Heyne followed with his fifth home run of the season to put the finishing touches on the championship game.
The bottom of the order, which went 6-for-12 with six RBI in the morning win over Shippensburg, came through once again for first-year head coach Jad Prachniak. The Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters were a combined 5-for-9 with six runs scored and six RBI.
“That speaks to the depth of this lineup,” Prachniak added. “One thru nine, these guys can all hit. They are seniors with a lot of experience.”
Kerins (3-1) threw five shutout innings, scattering two hits, walking four and striking out two. Kyle Weary came on in the sixth and went the rest of the way, earning his second save of the day. He pitched four hitless innings, walking three and striking out three.
“I was excited to see Conor compete like that,” Prachniak mentioned. “I knew the environment wouldn’t affect him. He has thrown in some big postseason games in his career. Weary just attacked the strike zone today for the most part.”
The NCAA Divison II Baseball Selection Show takes place on Sunday, May 13 at 10 p.m.
