West Chester Rallies Late For 7-2 Win Over Minn-Duluth

Box Score

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – West Chester scored two runs in the eighth and four more in the ninth to come from behind and defeat Minnesota-Duluth, 7-2, in the team's final game down south over spring break.
 
West Chester (7-3), who came from behind late last night at Eckerd to force extra innings, turned the trick once again Wednesday afternoon against UMD (3-6). It was Justin Roman's two-run double in the eighth that put the Golden Rams on top for good.
 
The six-run rally made a winner out of reliever Ron Scull (2-0), who tossed five shutout innings to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance at 2-0. UMD got a pair of runs off starter Jeff O'Reilly in the first inning, but couldn't muster anything the rest of the way off either O'Reilly or Scull.
 
Mike Raimo reached on an error to lead off the eighth, and Spekhardt followed with a bunt single. Following a ground out that moved the runners up, Roman delivered a double down the left field line that plated both Raimo and Spekhardt and gave the Golden Rams a 3-2 lead.
 
Raimo hammered out a RBI double in the ninth, followed by a RBI single from Chris Pula. Rob Knox knocked in a run on a fielder's choice right before Luke Mogle picked up a RBI single of his own.
 
Scull scattered three hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out five. O'Reilly surrendered two runs, only one of which was earned, on five hits in four innings of work. He struck out two and did not walk a batter.
 
Roman finished the game 3-for-5 with three RBI while Spekhardt went 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Mogle went 2-for-4 with a RBI, and Raimo scored two runs.
 
West Chester heads back north following a 4-2 spring break trip. The Golden Rams will open conference play this weekend with a doubleheader at Kutztown on Saturday, followed by a twinbill at home at Serpico Stadium on Sunday. Both doubleheaders begin at 1 p.m.