WEST CHESTER, Pa.- West Chester (11-4) scored nine runs in the fourth to break what had been a tight game to that point and pull away from Jefferson (7-8) en route to a 16-5 non-league victory inside a blustery Serpico Field on Wednesday afternoon.
After trading runs with Jefferson through the first few three innings, West Chester broke the game open in the fourth, scoring nine runs on five hits, including a towering three-run home run to right from David Alleva (Cherry Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace), which allowed the Golden Rams to take a 13-3 lead into the fifth.
With this 10-run lead in hand, West Chester never looked back, holding the Rams scoreless over the next four innings before the visitors scratched across a pair of runs in the ninth to cut the deficit to 16-5 late.
Gabe Rappa (Paulsboro, N.J./Neumann-Goretti) (1-0) got the start and pitched the first four innings, surrendering three runs (one earned) on seven hits while walking one and striking out another. Jeb Kurtz (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) entered in relief pitching two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk. Stephen Restuccio (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) entered in relief of him and worked two scoreless, one-hit innings as well while also walking a pair and striking out two. Joe Martino (Chalfont, Pa./C.B. South) was the final Golden Ram to enter the game, entering in the ninth, giving up two runs (one earned) on two walks and one hit while striking out one as well to finish out the victory for the Golden Rams.
Nine Golden Rams recorded a hit in the non-league triumph, while Luke Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) scored a team-best three runs to go along with a team-high four RBI from John Demucci (Swarthmore, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie) in the win.
Jefferson led off the game with a double to right center, which eventually led to the first run as the Rams took a 1-0 lead into the home half of the first.
In the home half, West Chester answered with three runs as Zack Miles (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) brought home the first run of the game on a fielder's choice before the Golden Rams added two more on a two-RBI single from DeMucci to take a 3-1 lead into the second.
Jefferson got a runner on to start the third as well, which eventually led to a pair of runs for the visiting Rams as they evened the score at 3-3, heading to the home half of the third.
West Chester countered in the home half with an RBI groundout from DeMucci, which gave West Chester a 4-3 lead heading into the fourth.
In the home fourth, West Chester scored nine runs on five hits, including a double down the left field line from Sean Szestowicki (Mount Royal, N.J./Kingsway Regional) and a three-run home run from Alleva as the Golden Rams carried a 13-3 lead into the fifth.
The two pitching staffs settled down from this point as the score remained locked at 13-3 heading into the home half of the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, West Chester pushed another three runs across via an RBI single from Gaetan Grandelli (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic), a fielder's choice off the bat of Eric Nardini (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti), and a wild pitch, which scored John Dunion (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum), who was the final Golden Ram to score in the victory.
Jefferson got two back in the top of the ninth, using an RBI single and a fielding error by the Golden Rams to push across its fourth and fifth runs of the game, although it was West Chester who held on for the non-league victory on Wednesday evening.
Patrick McFarland (1-1) got the start and took the loss for Jefferson, pitching the first three innings for the Rams, allowing seven runs on one hit and five walks before being lifted midway through the fourth. Joey Azzara entered in relief and was able to get two outs in the fourth for Jefferson but also allowed six runs on five hits while walking one and striking out one. Abixael Sosa entered in relief and got the Rams out of the jam before working a scoreless fifth, while Jack Ricketts pitched a scoreless sixth to slow the Golden Ram offense temporarily. Steve Graziano finished the game on the mound for Jefferson, working the final two innings, allowing three runs on three hits while walking three and striking out two in the setback.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Friday for a single game at home against Lock Haven beginning at 2 p.m. to start a three-game set with the Bald Eagles.
