Four-Run Rally In Bottom Of Ninth Lifts West Chester Over Wilmington (Del.), 9-8

Box Score WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Not even a visit to campus by Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump could distract host West Chester University from rallying in its last at-bats for a thrilling 9-8 victory over Wilmington (Del.) Monday afternoon at Serpico Stadium.
 
With news team helicopters circling North Campus, the real commotion was on South Campus where the Golden Rams (28-10) staged a dramatic comeback, topped off by Drew Diehl's (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) two-out, two-run double to dead center field off Wildcats' reliever Peter Monahan to extend the team's winning streak to seven straight.
 
West Chester trailed Wilmington (13-24), 8-5, entering the bottom of the ninth inning when Monahan came on in relief. Justin Roman (Berwyn, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) reached on a throwing error by the Wildcats' shortstop to start things off. Shane Dressler (York Haven, Pa./Red Land) and Tyler Coleman (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with nobody out.
 
Following a strikeout for the first out of the inning, Nick Bateman (Aston, Pa./Malvern) singled through the right side to score Roman and move everybody else up a base. Anthony Salomone (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) then followed with a run-scoring single of his own to draw West Chester within one, 8-7, still with only one out.
 
The next batter fouled out to first base, setting the stage for Diehl's climatic hit that scored Clay Harwick (Lansdale, Pa./Methacton) and Bateman, who had to weave his way through his teammate's mad dash onto the field to congratulate Diehl with the winning hit as he made his way down the third base line towards home with the go-ahead run.
 
Wilmington had built its three-run lead with a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings that had erased a 5-4 edge for West Chester. A two-run homer from Christian Adorno in the fifth, and a pair of doubles in the sixth, were the hits that did the damage to the Golden Rams.
 
Wilmington scored a single run in the top of the first inning. But, West Chester answered back with two of its own in the bottom half of the second frame. Joe Sheeran (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center, in the second.
 
When Wilmington answered with a three-spot in the top of the third inning to take a 4-2 lead, West Chester was up to the task with three of its own in the bottom half of the fourth to jump back in front, 5-4.
 
There were six lead changes in the contest. Wilmington used six pitchers while West Chester paraded four hurlers to the mound. Mike O'Neill (Brick, N.J./Brick Twp.) improved to 4-2 on the year with the win. He threw the ninth inning for the Golden Rams and was the benefactor of the home team's rally in the bottom of the frame.
 
Salomone finished the day 2-for-5 with three RBI. His two-run homer in the fourth marked the third consecutive game in which he has homered – the longest such streak by a Golden Rams player since Nick Spisak homered in three straight in 2010. Diehl went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI. He tripled and doubled in his final two at bats.
 
Bateman finished the day at 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored, including the game-winner, and one RBI.
 
West Chester is off until Wednesday when the Golden Rams make what seems to be the team's annual trek to the South Side of Philly and Citizens Bank Park for the Bill Giles Championship Game against University of Sciences at 3:30 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday. However, the Phillies official personnel moved the game due to the weather forecast.
 
West Chester will then return home Friday for the first two games of a pivotal four-game series with PSAC East rival East Stroudsburg to close out the regular season. Both West Chester and East Stroudsburg are tied for second place in the PSAC East standings heading into that series.