KUTZTOWN, PA –
Luke Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) hit a three-run homer, and
Mike Ferrara (Jamison, Pa./Archbishop Wood) had a two-run double during a five-run third as No. 23 West Chester topped host Kutztown, 16-5, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division showdown at North Campus Field on a windy, but sunny, Friday afternoon.
West Chester (25-9, 13-6 PSAC East) moved into a three-way tie for first place in the East with the win in the first game of a weekend three-game set against Kutztown (10-32, 4-18). Millersville lost at home to Bloomsburg while Shippensburg picked up a road win at Mansfield on Friday. All three teams are at 13-6 in league play.
With Friday's win, West Chester runs its winning streak to five straight and eight of its last nine.
The Golden Rams scored an unearned run in the first, aided by a pair of Golden Bears' errors, then put up five in the third, one more in the fourth and another five-spot in the fifth to give starting pitcher
Gabe Rappa (Paulsboro, N.J./Neumann-Goretti) all the support he needed.
Kutztown finally got to Rappa in the sixth, plating five runs to draw within 12-5. However, West Chester answered with three in the seventh to push the lead back to double digits (15-5) and squash the momentum.
Leadoff man
Zach Wright (Columbus, N.J./No. Burlington County Regional) was just 1-for-3 at the plate, but he walked three times, stole three bases and scored five runs. He was the catalyst for the Golden Rams' offense at the top of the order.
Joe Kaleck (Southampton, Pa./Neshaminy) went 3-for-4 right behind Wright with three runs scored and a pair of RBI.
Ferrara finished the day with two hits and four RBI.
Sean Szestowicki (Mount Royal, N.J./Kingsway Regional) hit a home run and finished with a pair of hits as well.
Rappa (5-1) allowed four runs, two of them earned, on five hits in five innings of work. He walked two and struck out four.
Dylan Howanitz (Archbald, Pa./Valley View) finished up the sixth, and
Nick Picariello (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) threw the seventh and eighth.
Nolan Graber (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) pitched the ninth striking out two.
West Chester and Kutztown will finish the three-game series on Saturday at Serpico Stadium with a doubleheader set to begin at 12 p.m. It will be Senior Day where the Golden Rams will honor their 10 seniors. It will also be Alumni Day where West Chester will welcome back the 1971, 2012 and 2017 baseball teams.
