Box Score PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – In his first career appearance, freshman southpaw
Michael Dietz (Avon Grove, Pa./Avon Grove) logged four innings, allowing just one unearned run and striking out two, leading West Chester to a 2-1 win over USciences in the 16
th annual Bill Giles Invitational, on Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
USciences (8-26) struck first, scoring an unearned run in the first inning. However, Dietz (1-0) would combine with freshman
Alex Gouveia (Phoenixville, Pa./Spring-Ford) and
Mike O'Neil (Brick, N.J./ Brick Twp Memorial) to keep the Devils off the scoreboard the remainder of the game.
Gouveia entered in the fifth and worked 1.1 innings, allowing two hits and striking out a batter. O'Neil tossed the final 3.2 innings, earning his eighth save of the season.
West Chester (29-10) was led offensively by
Nick Bateman's (Aston, Pa./Malvern) 3-for-4 day at the plate. Bateman doubled to lead off the second, but was stranded at second base.
WCU did not let a leadoff double go to waste in the third.
Bill Ford (Parkside, Pa./Malvern Prep) drove a ball to the left center gap to start the inning. A
Drew Diehl (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) walk put runners at first and second with no outs, and a wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position.
Nick Ward (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) and
Justin Roman (Berwyn, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) RBI groundouts scored Ford and Diehl, giving WCU a 2-1 lead.
West Chester would cling to that lead for the remaining six innings.
In addition to the win, West Chester also debuts at No. 3 in the first Atlantic Region poll put out by the NCAA on Wednesday afternoon.
The Golden Rams host East Stroudsburg in a pivotal PSAC doubleheader on Friday at 1 p.m., before traveling to ESU on Saturday to conclude the 2016 regular season. The two schools are currently tied for second place in the PSAC East at 17-7.
