DINWIDDIE, Va. –
Keith Flaherty (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) and
Corey Stouffer (Souderton, Pa./North Penn) hit back-to-back home runs to power a 12-run rally in the fifth inning as West Chester shut out Saint Anselm, 16-0, Sunday afternoon.
West Chester (3-0) added three more in the eighth and one in the ninth en route to the win over Saint Anselm (0-3).
Luke Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) doubled in two, before Flaherty's three-run blast put the Golden Rams up 5-0. Stouffer followed with a solo shot to make it 6-0, before an error by the Hawks opened the flood gates and West Chester plated six unearned runs before the Hawks got out of the frame.
Justin Horn (Willow Grove, Pa./Upper Dublin) and Stouffer added two-run doubles later in the fifth while
Mike Ferrara (Jamison, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and Flaherty added RBI doubles as well. Stouffer and Ferrara each doubled in a run in the eighth inning, and Ferrara singled in a run in the ninth to close out the scoring.
For the third straight game, West Chester's impressive offensive numbers overshadowed yet another stellar effort on the mound from the Golden Rams' hurlers.
Joe Sperone (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) started the game and tossed four no-hit, scoreless innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.
R.J. Kuruts (Forest City, Pa./Forest City) entered and scattered two hits over three innings, walking one and striking out four.
Colin Kennedy (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) and
Andrew Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) each threw an inning while striking out two each. In all, West Chester pitchers struck out 14 batters on the day.
Stouffer finished the day 4-for-5 with four RBI. Cantwell and Ferrara each enjoyed a four-hit game while Flaherty had a pair of extra-base hits and four RBI. West Chester's 3-4-5-6 hitters went a combined 12-for-23 with 11 runs scored and 11 RBI.
West Chester will be back in action next weekend with a non-league tilt against Pace University on Saturday and then a doubleheader against University of the Sciences. All three games will be played at Father Judge High School's field, which is being utilized by USciences as their home field for 2022.
