Box Score NEW CASTLE, Del. -
Drew Diehl (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) went 3-for-6 with a home run, and
Mike O'Neill (Brick, N.J./Brick Twp.) picked up his seventh save of the year, to lead West Chester to a 5-3 victory over Wilmington (Del.) in the first round of the Bill Giles Classic at Wilson Field Wednesday afternoon.
West Chester (13-4) advances to the Bill Giles Classic championship game, which will be played April 26 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The Golden Rams won their 10th title in the 15-year history of the Bill Giles Classic last April by defeating Wilmington, 9-5. They now await the winner of Philadelphia University vs. University of the Sciences
Wilmington (2-12) jumped out on top early with two runs in the bottom of the first. However, West Chester got one back in the fourth and then Diehl's blast, his fourth of the season, tied things up at 2-2 in the fifth.
A three-run eighth by the Golden Rams proved to be the decisive factor in the game. O'Neill was called upon with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to get West Chester out of the jam and seal the win. The Rams led off the eighth with three straight singles.
Nick Ward (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) then grounded into a double play, but the go-ahead run crossed the plate. That is when Wilmington's pitcher got a little wild and walked three batters, before hitting another, that ended up pushing across two more runs for the Golden Rams - all with two outs.
Mike Cipolla (Newark, Del./Charter School of Wilmington) (4-1) was credited with the win, tossing 3.2 innings in relief of starter
Joe Gutowski (Trenton, N.J./Bordentown). He did not allow a run, scattering three hits while striking out two. Gutowski lasted 3.1 innings, surrendering two unearned runs on four hits while walking three.
Josh McClain (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) threw 1.1 innings, giving up one run on three hits, walking a pair and striking out one. O'Neill got the last two outs, after yielding a hit, to close out the game.
The Golden Rams scored five runs on nine hits and committed a pair of errors. Meanwhile, Wilmington scored three runs on 11 hits and had one miscue of its own. Both teams left 14 runners on base in the contest.
West Chester travels to Millersville on Friday for a PSAC East showdown with the third-ranked Marauders. The two division rivals will hook up again on Saturday in a conference twinbill at Serpico Stadium.
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