WEST CHESTER, PA – Luke Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) and
J.R. Gifford (Doylestown, Pa./Archbishop Wood) each hit grand slams, and Gifford added a solo shot as well, to lead West Chester past visiting University of the Sciences, 14-3, at Serpico Stadium Tuesday afternoon.
West Chester (11-2) scored two runs in the first, three in the third and four in the fourth to jump out in front 9-2. USciences (5-12) got a run in the top of the first, but starting pitcher Ian Glass (1-2) exited with an injury after two thirds of an inning, and the Devils could not keep the bats going against six Golden Rams' hurlers.
Gifford homered in the fifth and then blasted his grand slam in the sixth to close out West Chester's scoring. Cantwell's granny, his team-leading sixth homer of the season, accounted for the Golden Rams' four-spot in the fourth.
Mike Ferrara (Jamison, Pa./Archbishop Wood) hit a RBI ground out in the first, and
Zach Wright (Columbus, N.J./N. Burlington County Regional) scored on a throwing error that put the Golden Rams in front 2-1 after the first. Ferrara,
Keith Flaherty (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep.) and
Corey Stouffer (Souderton, Pa./North Penn) each hit run-scoring singles in the third that made it 5-2.
Right-hander
R.J. Kuruts (Forest City, Pa./Forest City) picked up the win in his second start of the season to improve to 1-0 on the year. Six pitchers combined to give up three runs on eight hits while walking three and striking out seven.
Joe Messina (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) struck out three in two innings of work.
For the fourth time this year, West Chester scored more runs than they had hits in the game. The Golden Rams won all four contests.
West Chester travels to Lock Haven University on Wednesday to finish up their three-game Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division series. First pitch is at 2 p.m. at Watkins Field.
