ASTON, PA –
Braeden Fausnaught (Danville, Pa./Danville) struck out seven and scattered two hits over six-plus innings in game one, and
Joe Sperone (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) threw a complete game in the nightcap, as host West Chester swept a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division baseball doubleheader from visiting Shepherd on a frigid Thursday afternoon at Maple Zone Sports Complex.
West Chester (8-2, 8-2 PSAC E) took game one, 9-1, before taking the measure of Shepherd (7-7, 7-7) in game two, 6-3.
Brian Verratti (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) was a combined 4-for-8 in the twinbill, and
Nick D'Amore (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) added a two-run home run in the second inning of game one to lead the offensive attack. West Chester's bats were hot, rapping out 17 hits in the two games. The Glden Rams also took advantage of a combined nine errors by the Shepherd Rams in double dip.
West Chester got things going early in both contests, scoring four runs in the first inning of game one, and two more in the second, to jump out on top, 6-0. The hosts pushed across three in the first inning of game two and then added another three-spot in the third that answered a three-run rally by the visitors.
Fausnaught took a no-hitter into the fifth inning as the senior lefty stayed out of trouble for much of the afternoon. Fausnaught pitched into the seventh, getting the first out, before yielding to
Cody Barberio (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown), who walked a batter and then induced a game-ending double play. Fausnaught picked up his first win of the season, giving up just one run in 6.1 innings. He walked five and struck out seven.
Sperone was almost as masterful in the nightcap, improving to 2-0 on the year. He surrendered three runs on six hits, walked three and struck out six.
Verratti led off the bottom of the first in game two dropping in a double just inside the right-field line. D'Amore beat out an infield hit that Verratti eventually scored on when Shepherd's third baseman threw the ball away trying to hurry his throw.
Drew Jarmuz (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) was then hit by a pitch, before
Mike Ferrara (Jamison, Pa./Archbishop Wood) doubled to left, scoring D'Amore and moving Jarmuz to third.
Zack Wright's (Burlington, N.J./No. Burlington Cty) sacrifice fly brought home Jarmuz with the third run of the first.
In the third,
Luke Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) hit a RBI double, Wright scored on a balk and
Matt Daller (Exton, Pa./Malvern Prep) hit a sac fly that scored Cantwell.
In the opener, Wright walked with the bases loaded to score the first run of the game in the bottom of the first. Cantwell then responded with a bases-clearing triple that made it a 4-0 ballgame. Shepherd starter Trevor Sprinkle (0-1) got out of the first, but did not return in the second. Reliever Eric O'Brien went the rest of the way for the Rams.
West Chester and Shepherd will conclude their conference series on Saturday in Shepherdstown, W.Va., with another twinbill beginning at 1 p.m.
