West Chester Baseball Sweeps ESU

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Drew Jarmuz (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) hit a solo home run to lead off the top of the ninth inning of game one, and Sr., RHP Eric Close (Berwyn, Pa./Haverford) threw a complete-game six-hitter in the night cap as West Chester swept a PSAC East baseball doubleheader from East Stroudsburg Friday at Serpico Stadium by scores of 4-3 (9 inn), and 4-1.
 
The doubleheader, originally scheduled for Mitterling Field on the campus of East Stroudsburg University, was moved to Serpico Stadium due to poor field conditions at ESU following the latest snow storm that blanketed the Northeast last week. ESU served as the home team Friday and batted second.
 
West Chester (10-3, 2-0 PSAC East) scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth and then held on for the extra-inning win in the opener. East Stroudsburg (10-8, 0-2) tied the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
 
After knotting things up in the bottom of the seventh, the Warriors missed their opportunity to steal the win in the bottom of the eighth when they failed to score with the bases loaded and nobody out.
 
West Chester squandered a golden opportunity of its own in the top of the eighth when the Golden Rams had runners on the corners with nobody out, but could not push across a run. However, Jarmuz led off the ninth with his first home run of the season to left-center off ESU reliever Connor Johnson (1-2). From there, Josh McClain (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) held on to pick up his second win of the season – but not without some tense moments.
 
ESU's Steve Zimmerman doubled with one out to get the comeback bid started for the Warriors. After Casey Saverio flied out, Tommy Nuneviller drew a walk, putting runners on first and second with two outs. Billy Sablinski then singled through the left side, and Zimmerman raced around to score, making it a 4-3 game. However, Nuneviller rounded the second base bag too far, and West Chester third baseman, Anthony Salomone (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) cut off the throw from left and threw in behind Nuneviller for the final out of the game.
 
Jon Fisher (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh) started and pitched into the eighth inning, before giving way to McClain. He allowed two runs, one of them earned, on five hits while walking two and striking out five. ESU starter Tyler Eckman was just as impressive, allowing a pair of runs on eight hits over seven innings. He also walked two and struck out five.
 
Clay Harwick (Lansdale, Pa./Methacton) hit a solo home run in the fourth that broke a 1-1 tie.
 
West Chester scored a pair of runs in the top of the third to erase a 1-0 deficit, and then added a pair of insurance tallies in the seventh to take the night cap, 4-1. Close (2-0) scattered six hits over seven innings, surrendering just one run while walking two and striking out four.
 
Corey Webb (Easton, Pa./Easton) went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of runs scored in game two while Joey Coyle (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) went 2-for-4 from his leadoff spot in the order.
 
Webb singled in a run in the third and then eventually came around to score an unearned run later in the frame that gave the Rams a 2-1 advantage. Nick Ward (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) knocked in a run on a fielder's choice ground out in the seventh and then scored on a single from Shane Dressler (York Haven, Pa./Red Land) for some insurance.
 
West Chester plays another doubleheader at Serpico Stadium Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.