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Box Score 2
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Joe Gunkel was masterful in game one as visiting West Chester downed host Kutztown in game one of a PSAC East baseball doubleheader Friday afternoon, 8-0. Kutztown came back and won game two, 5-1.
West Chester (20-23-1, 10-12 PSAC East) remains in a tie for fourth place in the conference standings with Shippensburg, who split with Mansfield on Friday. The Golden Rams will need to win one more game than Shippensburg Saturday afternoon to get into the PSAC Tournament next week.
Gunkel (6-4) threw 96 pitches, 73 for strikes, in a complete-game win for the Golden Rams. He struck out nine and allowed just four hits in his fourth shutout of the year.
Jordan Wlodarczyk went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles while Jack Provine was 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of runs scored. Nick Bonadies was also a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple and a pair of singles.
West Chester jumped out on Kutztown early in game one with two runs in the first and one in the second. The Rams then repeated that effort with two in the fifth and one in the sixth. This time, West Chester tacked on two more in the seventh.
In the nightcap, Kutztown plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth to break open a 2-1 ballgame. Fred Breidenbach (3-4) suffered the loss, going the distance.
Provine was 3-for-3 in the second game and scored the team’s only run. Justin Roman was 2-for-3 as well in the loss.
West Chester and Kutztown will go at it again on Saturday at Serpico Stadium beginning at 1 p.m. on Senior Day. The Golden Rams will honor their six graduating seniors before the doubleheader.
