CARY, NC – The College of Saint Rose plated an unearned run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete a three-run comeback and down West Chester, 5-4, at the DII Baseball Challenge at the U.S. Baseball Training Complex Saturday afternoon.
West Chester (6-2) dropped its second straight game at the DII Baseball Challenge, after opening the year on a six-game winning streak. Saint Rose (4-5) won its fourth straight, after opening its campaign with five straight losses – including both ends of a doubleheader to West Chester in Virginia the first weekend of the year.
Gaetan Grandelli (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) hit a home run in his first at bat in a West Chester uniform to lead off the second inning and give the Golden Rams a 2-0 advantage. West Chester put up single runs in the first, second, fifth and sixth frames. Saint Rose made it 2-1 in the second, before tying things up in the bottom of the sixth with a three-spot.
The Golden Knights pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the eighth when an error with two outs allowed a runner to score from third.
Andrew Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) suffered his second loss in as many days in relief, despite his lone run allowed was unearned.
Grandelli went 2-for-4 at the plate with his home run.
Luke Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) and
Keith Flaherty (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) each had RBI's in the game as well.
R.J. Kurutz (Forest City, Pa./Forest City) got the start on the mound. He threw 5.1 innings, yielding four runs on six hits while walking two and striking out seven.
Kyle Lazer (Havertown, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie) threw 1.2 innings, surrendering one hit, walking two and striking out one.
