WEST CHESTER, PA – West Chester University came out on the wrong end of a pair of one-run losses as visiting Salem University swept a non-league doubleheader from the Golden Rams at Serpico Stadium Friday afternoon.
West Chester (17-8) nearly erased a five-run deficit in its final at bats in game one, eventually falling by a score of 9-8. In the nightcap, Salem (11-17) held off the Golden Rams again and managed a 7-6 triumph to complete the sweep.
The Tigers committed a combined 11 errors in the twinbill, but overcame the miscues to take both games. The Golden Rams made six errors of their own in the two contests as they saw a five-game win streak come to a close with the team's first two losses at home on the season.
West Chester posted four runs in the fifth inning of game two that pulled the hosts even at 5-5 momentarily.
Luke Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) hit a three-run homer in that frame while
Julian Costa (Mantua, N.J./Clearview) hit a RBI single that evened the score.
Salem responded with a pair of runs in the sixth to jump back on top, 7-5. However,
John DeMucci's (Swarthmore, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie) sacrifice fly in the eighth was all the Golden Rams could muster in return.
DeMucci finished game two 2-for-3 with a run and RBI while Cantwell was 2-for-5 with the three-run shot. Profy was a combined 3-for-9 with two runs scored and three RBI in the two games combined.
Evan Snyder (Cheyney, Pa./Rustin) suffered the hard-luck loss in relief. He came on for starter
Ryan DeHaven (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) and pitched the sixth. He yielded two runs on two hits. However, neither run was earned.
In the opener, West Chester scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but left the tying run at third in a frantic comeback bid. Salem plated a pair of runs in the top half of the ninth that proved to be the difference as the Tigers held a 9-4 advantage heading into West Chester's final at bats.
DeMucci reached on an error to lead off the seventh, and
John Dunion (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) walked. After a strikeout,
David Alleva (Cherry Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace) walked to load the bases. Costa hit a pinch-hit single to center that scored DeMucci. Profy then doubled down the left field line, scoring
Sean Slowinski (Richboro, Pa./Archbishop Wood), who had come on to run for Alleva, and Dunion. Costa then came home on a ground out by
Joe Kaleck (Southampton, Pa./Neshaminy) that moved Profy to third. Cantwell walked, but Salem got the final out of the inning on a pop up to close out the game.
Zack Miles (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) and Profy each collected a pair of hits in the opener
. Joe Sperone (Broomall, Pa./) suffered his first loss of the season falling to 5-1 on the year. He allowed four runs, three of them earned, on five hits over four innings. He walked one and struck out one.
West Chester and Salem will attempt to get the third game of the non-league weekend series in on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
