West Chester Diamondmen Split Doubleheader With Millersville

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Bill Ford drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two that lifted West Chester to a 5-4 victory over visiting Millersville, salvaging a split of the PSAC East doubleheader Tuesday at Serpico Stadium.
 
West Chester (3-4, 1-1 PSAC East) dropped the opener, 6-0, to Millersville (12-4, 1-1) and ace right-hander Chris Murphy, who set the Marauders' career wins record with a complete-game shutout.
 
Tyler Coleman led off the seventh with an infield single. Clay Harwick then hit the ball to Millersville's second baseman, whose throw to second in an attempt to cut down Coleman and start a double play, hit Coleman and everybody was safe. Joey Coyle came on to run for Coleman, and Robert Knox followed with a bunt single down the third base line that loaded the bags for Ford.
 
Millersville replaced reliever Jesse Mowen (0-1), who came on at the start of the frame and did not retire a batter, with Matt Binder. Ford worked the count full on Binder, before drawing the walk that forced home Coyle and ended the contest.
 
West Chester held a 2-1 lead after four innings when Millersville rallied to tie the game in the fifth and take a 4-2 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. The Golden Rams answered that rally with a two-out rally of their own that knotted things up at 4-all heading into the seventh.
 
Mike Gannon started things off with a single deep in the hole at short with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Drew Diehl walked, and Dylan Tice singled down the left-field line that chased home Gannon. Matt Petrizzi followed with a single the opposite way into right that plated Diehl with the tying run.
 
West Chester lefty Nick Stallings (1-0) threw a complete game for his first win of the season. He allowed four runs on seven hits while walking four and striking out six. He also hit two batters.
 
Both of the Golden Rams' starters were very impressive Tuesday. Game one starter for West Chester, Eric Close, went pitch-for-pitch with the PSAC's premier hurler. He threw four scoreless innings of two-hit ball while walking four and striking out three.
 
Reliever Joe Gutowski (1-1) came on in the fifth and allowed a two-run homer and a grand slam in the sixth inning for all the scoring in the opener.
 
Murphy (5-0) allowed just one hit and struck out 10 batters to pick up the win for Millersville.
 
West Chester will host Millersville in a doubleheader on Wednesday at Serpico Stadium. The twinbill was originally scheduled to be played in Millersville. However, the Marauders' field is unplayable, so the games have been moved.