BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – Coming off two wins over the Huskies yesterday, the West Chester University baseball team headed the Danny Litwhiler Field on Saturday afternoon to end the 2019 regular season with a doubleheader against Bloomsburg University.
Starter
David Mervis (GATHERSBURG, MD/GONZAGA) struck out six in 3-1 complete-game victory to start the twin bill, before the Golden Rams used three home runs in the seventh to overcome a two-run deficit in a 7-4 WCU win to end the day.
The Golden Rams, who closed out the regular season by winning their last seven contests, move to 29-13 overall and 19-9 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) after completing the sweep of the Huskies this weekend. Entering Friday as the fourth seed in next week's PSAC Championship, West Chester's winning streak has catapulted the Purple & Gold into the No. 2 seed in the East and the Golden Rams are now slated to open the Championship on Wednesday (5/8) with a game against the No. 3 seed from the West (TBA).
Aside from the positioning in the PSAC Championship, this weekend's sweep was huge for the Golden Rams in regards to regional rankings and NCAA Tournament hopes. The Golden Rams, the seventh team in the most recent NCAA Atlantic Region rankings, are almost certainly going to move into the top-six of the standings thanks to four victories over third-ranked Bloomsburg this weekend paired with two losses by East Stroudsburg – the team directly ahead of WCU - at the hands of Shippensburg today.
Following the PSAC Championship, the Golden Rams will find out if they qualify for the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament for the fifth season in a row on May 12 during the NCAA Division II Baseball Selection Show.
GAME ONE: West Chester – 3 | Bloomsburg – 1
- Kyle Feaster (TROOPER, PA./METHACTION) led off the game with a single and then advanced to second on a Bloomsburg throwing error, which also landed Justin Horn (WILLOW GROVE, PA./UPPER DUBLIN) on first. Jared Melone (NORTH WALES, PA./NORTH PENN) then advanced Feaster to third with a fielder's choice, before Joe Zirolli (KENNETT, PA./KENNETT SQUARE) – fresh off of breaking the West Chester single-season home run record yesterday – connected on a sacrifice fly to bring Feaster in from third.
- Up 1-0, Mervis only needed 14 pitches to strike out of the side in the bottom of the first to keep the Golden Rams in front.
- The score remained stuck at 1-0 for the next four frames, before BU's Kyle OFier sent his second home run of the series over the center field fence to square the contest at 1-1 entering the sixth.
- Horn came through in a big way in the top of the sixth, as the sophomore slapped a two-run RBI with twos out on the board to put the visitors in front, 3-1.
- Mervis remained locked in over the final two innings of action and kept the Huskies to just one hit in the sixth and seventh innings combined.
Feaster went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in game one, while Horn chipped in one hit and two RBI.
Mervis (5-0) remained unblemished on the year after surrendering just one run (earned) on three hits with six strikeouts across seven innings.
GAME TWO: West Chester – 7 | Bloomsburg – 4
- The Golden Rams trailed 4-1 through the first five innings of game two, until Feaster took the first pitch that he was offered for a ride over the left field fence.
- Trailing 4-2 in the top of the seventh, the Golden Rams once again turned to their power to get themselves out of a jam. Leading off the seventh, Luke Cantwell (BROOMALL, PA./MARPLE NEWTOWN) slapped his fifth home run of the season to square the game at 4-4, before Feaster stepped to the dish with two outs and cranked out his second long ball of the game to put the Golden Rams ahead, 5-4.
- Not to be outdone, Melone followed two batters later and sent a two-run rocket shot of his own to center to push the WCU advantage to 7-4. Melone's home run in the seventh frame gives the senior 27 dingers on his career, which propelled the infielder past Matt Baer (2009-12) and Matt Cotellese (2005-09) for the No. 2 spot on WCU's all-time career home runs list.
Feaster capped off his big day with three hits, two homers, and three RBI in four plate appearances. Melone chipped in two hits, two RBI and a home run, while Cantwell recorded one long ball and one RBI in the win.
Tim Edwards (HERSHEY, PA./HERSHEY) (3-1) came in to relieve starter
Scott McKenna (HAVERTOWN, PA./HAVERFORD) and pitched brilliantly, as the senior only allowed one run on one hit with seven punch outs in 5.2 innings to get the win.
