DINWIDDIE, VA –
Luke Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) hit three home runs in the opening game of a doubleheader to lead an offensive onslaught in a doubleheader sweep over The College of Saint Rose at Shepherd Stadium in Dinwiddie, Va., Saturday afternoon.
West Chester (2-0) scored 26 runs on 29 hits over the 16 innings to claim an 8-0 win in game one and an 18-4 victory in the night cap. The Golden Rams slugged seven home runs in the two games combined as well.
Cantwell tied a school record with his three home runs in a single game. He homered in his first three times up in the season opener.
Joe Kaleck (Southampton, Pa./Neshaminy) smashed a three-run shot during a five-run fourth that really broke the game open. Both Cantwell and Kaleck finished the opener 3-for-4 with three RBI.
J.R. Gifford (Doylestown, Pa./Archbishop Wood) was 2-for-2 with a run batted in.
Left-hander
Braeden Fausnaught (Danville, Pa./Danville) went five scoreless innings in the opener to get the win on the hill, allowing just one hit. He walked three and struck out seven.
Kyle Lazer (Havertown, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie) threw one inning and struck out one in his college debut.
Nick Picariello (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy) finished up with one scoreless inning. He allowed the other hit. He walked one and struck out one as well.
In the night cap,
John DeMucci (Swarthmore, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie) was 2-for-4 with four RBI, including his first home run as a Golden Ram.
Keith Flaherty (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) finished game two 4-for-6 with a pair of RBI.
Zack Wright (Columbus, N.J./No. Burlington Cty Reg.) went 2-for-4 with a double, home run and two RBI.
West Chester scored in seven of the nine innings in game two, jumping out to a 13-0 lead by the fourth innings. St. Rose hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to end a 10-inning scoring drought, after being shut out in the opener.
The Golden Rams yielded just one earned run in the 16 innings of the doubleheader.
Gabe Rappa (Paulsboro, N.J./Neumann-Goretti) picked up the win in the night cap. He threw the first four innings, surrendering four runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits. He walked two and struck out seven.
West Chester finishes up its opening weekend in Dinwiddie with a single game Sunday against Saint Anselm.
