WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The No. 21 West Chester University baseball team had little trouble dispelling Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division leader Bloomsburg University on Saturday, as the Golden Rams dinged the visiting Huskies for 19 runs on the day to take both games of the doubleheader at Serpico Field.
Entering Saturday's marquee matchup, Bloomsburg topped the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional rankings and the PSAC East standings, with WCU coming in third in the first edition of the regional standings and sitting tied for second in the PSAC East with Millersville.
Following Saturday's sweep, the Golden Rams (26-12, 15-7 PSAC) now sit tied with the Huskies (26-12, 15-7 PSAC) for the top spot in the league standings ahead of tomorrow's doubleheader at Litwhiler Field at 1:00 p.m.
Game One: West Chester – 9 | Bloomsburg - 1
Saturday's opener was highlighted by a strong six-inning performance from pitcher
Jon Fisher (PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA./PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH) and a two hit/two RBI day from DH
Shane Dressler (YORK HAVEN, PA./RED LAND) at the dish.
- Following a scoreless first two innings, the Golden Rams got on the board in the third after Nick Ward (KENNETT SQUARE, PA./UNIONVILLE) connected on a RBI single to right before Dressler came through with a two-RBI double to put the home team in front 3-0 through three.
- Up three in the fifth, a single from Ward brought in both Jon Hansen (CHERRY HILL, N.J./GEORGE MASON) and Joey Coyle (WILMINGTON, DEL./SALESIANUM) to put the Golden Rams up 5-0, prior to Jared Melone (NORTH WALES, PA./NORTH PENN) and Zach Sheranko (TANNERSVILLE, PA./POCONO MOUNTAIN EAST) each logging RBI singles to right – stretching the WCU advantage 7-0 with no outs on the board.
- After loading the bases with nobody out, the Huskies were forced to send starter Ashton Raines to the bench in favor of reliever Trey Hinkle.
- The first batter Hinkle face was Jarmuz, who grounded out to short to score Dressler and that was followed by a sacrifice fly from Corey Webb (EASTON, PA./EASTON) to extend the Golden Rams' cushion to 9-0 entering the sixth.
- Fisher made it through the sixth unscathed, but after putting on the first two runners he faced in the seventh he was pulled for Michael Dietz (AVON GROVE, PA./AVON GROVE) with West Chester clinging to a 9-0 advantage. Bloomsburg managed to bring one of those runner home with a single to left before back-to-back fly outs and strikeout from Dietz closed the door on the Huskies in the opening game.
Dressler went 2-for-3 with two RBI in the victory, with Ward and Coyle both adding two hits to start the afternoon. The Huskies had four players with multiple hits in the opener, although Austin Edgette – the NCAA DII leader in batting average (.500) – went 0-for-3 and was held hitless for just the third time this season.
Fisher gave up one run (earned) on six hits with three strikeouts in 6.0 innings to improve to 4-3 on the season. On the other side of the diamond, BU starter Ashton Raines (6-1) surrendered 10 hits in four innings to give the junior his first loss of the season.
Game Two: West Chester – 10 | Bloomsburg – 3
The Golden Rams handed another Bloomsburg pitcher his first loss of the season in game two, as West Chester came back from a 3-1 hole to score four runs in two innings to seal the loss for JJ Speherley – who entered the day with a perfect 6-0 mark on the mound.
- The Huskies held a 3-1 lead after the top of the third before Melone put the Golden Rams on the board with a sacrifice fly – scoring Hansen – and Jarmuz followed with a big 2-RBI double to push West Chester ahead 4-3 through four.
- Dressler's fourth homer of the season – a two-run shot to right – sparked three-run fifth and WCU's advantage ballooned to 7-3 after the fifth frame.
- The sixth saw Hansen connect on his third home run of the year and both Sheranko and Jarmuz adding RBI to put the home team in front 10-3 with one inning remaining.
- With lighting touching down around the West Chester area, game two was delayed for over two hours in the seventh as officials waited for the weather to pass.
- With the storms a safe distance away, Tim Edwards (HERSHEY, PA./HERSHEY) came into the game in the seventh and forced a flyout before striking out the final two batters he faced to end the twinbill with WCU taking both games.
Sheranko paced the Golden Rams' offense with four hits in game two, while Jarmuz added three hits and a team-high four RBI in the nightcap. Dressler and Hansen both notched two hits in the win, with each player recording a long ball in the process.
On the mound,
Zach Rice (HONEY BROOK, PA./TWIN VALLEY) improves to 6-2 on the year after giving up three runs (all earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts in five innings pitched.
