Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 WEST CHESTER, Pa. – For what proved to be one of the most difficult doubleheaders to get in over the past week, West Chester split a twinbill at home with visiting Bloomsburg Wednesday, concluding the team's four-game season series which began last Thursday.
West Chester (12-8, 5-5 PSAC East) split its second straight conference doubleheader in as many days as teams all around the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) continue to struggle with weather-related cancellations to get the 2014 campaign in the books. Bloomsburg (14-10, 7-3) remains tied with Shippensburg in the league standings.
The Golden Rams dropped a heart-breaker in the opener, 2-1, in eight innings. West Chester's closer Kyle Weary walked in the winning run in the top of the frame, and the Rams went quietly in their chance to tie. Weary retired the first two batters in the eighth. However, he then hit the next batter and walked the next to put runners on first and second with two outs. An infield single loaded the bases, before the winning run was forced home with a walk.
West Chester's Andrew Gernert threw 5.2 strong innings in his first PSAC start of the season. He scattered five hits over his outing, allowing just one run while striking out two and not walking a batter.
Bloomsburg jumped out in front with one run in the sixth. However, West Chester answered right back with a RBI single by Tyler Coleman in the bottom half. Four different Golden Rams collected a hit in the game.
In the nightcap, West Chester again scored just one run. However, this time it was all the Golden Rams would need to earn the much-needed conference split. Matt Petrizzi (1-0) went the distance on the hill, tossing a five-hit shutout while walking three and striking out three.
Mike Gannon grounded out to second with the bases loaded in the fourth, plating West Chester's lone run in the contest. The Golden Rams, who managed just one run on four hits in the opener, collected one run on three hits in the second game. Petrizzi, Robert Knox and Gannon were the only Rams to rap out a base hit.
Neither side managed an extra-base hit in either game.
West Chester will host Mansfield on Saturday at Serpico Stadium in another pivotal PSAC doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. The Golden Rams have moved their originally scheduled doubleheader at Mansfield for Friday to Sunday at 1 p.m.
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