Box Score COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. - West Chester scored five runs in the top of the first inning and then held off a late rally from Philadelphia University to post an 8-7 victory in the season opener Saturday night at the Division II Baseball Challenge in Virginia.
Andrew Gernert provided the big blow in the first with a bases-clearing triple.
The top five hitters in the Golden Rams' order combined to go 9-for-22 in the win. Drew Diehl was 2-for-4, Nick Ward 2-for-6, Shane Dressler 2-for-5 and Nick Bateman 2-for-4.
Dalton Reed (1-0) started and threw five strong innings to pick up the win. He allowed just one unearned run on four hits. He walked one and struck out four. Joe Kinee threw one inning, and Josh McClain tossed the final three innings to get the save.
West Chester will take on St. Thomas Aquinas Sunday morning and then Slippery Rock in the afternoon.
