ASTON, PA – A walk-off single in the 11th inning secured a game one win while a two-out, four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth of game two helped West Chester pick up a sweep over visiting Kutztown in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) conference opening doubleheader at MSI Sports Complex in Aston, Pa., Friday afternoon.
West Chester (9-0, 2-0 PSAC East) ran its season-opening win streak to nine straight with the sweep over Kutztown (3-10, 0-2). The Golden Rams took game one, 2-1, in 11, and captured the nightcap, 7-2.
The hosts jumped out to an early lead with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first of game two.
Avery Spencer (Pottsgrove, Pa./Pottsgrove), who reached on a throwing error by Kutztown's shortstop that allowed
John DeMucci (Swarthmore, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie) to score in the first, singled home DeMucci in the third to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
Kutztown finally got to Golden Rams starter
Joe Sperone (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) (2-0) in the sixth with a pair of runs to draw within a single tally at 3-2. However, West Chester answered with a four-spot in the bottom half to put the game out of reach.
Joe Kaleck (Southampton, Pa./Neshaminy) hit a two-run single, and
Anthony Boccio (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) reached on an error that allowed DeMucci and Kaleck to score.
Spencer finished game two 2-for-4 while Kaleck had the two RBI. West Chester scored seven runs on seven hits and committed two errors while Kutztown scored two runs on seven hits and committed three errors.
Sperone lasted 5 1.3 innings, surrendering two runs on seven hits. He struck out five and did not walk a batter. Kutztown starter Paul Moretski (0-4) lasted five innings. He allowed three runs, only one of them earned, on five hits. He walked one and struck out two and hit two batters.
In the opener, West Chester finally pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning after the first two batters got out. Three straight walks to the seven, eight and nine hitters in the order loaded the bases and turned the lineup over for leadoff man
Evan Profy (Croydon, Pa./Harry S. Truman), who lined a single into left-center field for the walk-off win giving West Chester its fourth one-run victory in its last five contests.
The first game was a vintage pitcher's duel throughout. West Chester picked up an unearned run in the fourth when Profy scored on a ground out by
Gaetan Grandelli (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic). Kutztown's Michael Burns knotted the score in the fifth with a RBI single, and that's how things stood until the 11th.
Kutztown starter Jake Skrocki threw seven one-hit innings, walking three, hitting two batters and striking out eight. West Chester starter
Julian Costa (Mantua, N.J./Clearview) lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits. He walked three and struck out four.
West Chester reliever
Jesse Specter (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) earned his first win for the Golden Rams. He threw the 11th, scattering a pair of hits without allowing a run. Kutztown had a chance to take the lead in the top half of the 11th, but Kaleck threw out the potential go-ahead run at the plate to preserve the 1-1 tie.
The Golden Rams scored two runs on five hits and made one error in Game 1. Kutztown scored one run on eight hits. The Golden Bears made three errors.
In all, Kutztown committed six errors on the afternoon which led to five of the nine runs allowed in the two games being unearned.
West Chester has now won 13 of the last 15 meetings between the two Eastern Division rivals.
West Chester and Kutztown will finish their four-game conference opening series on Sunday in Kutztown with another doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
