WEST CHESTER, Pa.- The seventh-ranked West Chester University baseball team (17-5, 2-2) picked up an important doubleheader sweep of No. 30/12 East Stroudsburg (16-6, 2-2) on Sunday afternoon to split the season series with the Warriors after being swept in Stroudsburg yesterday afternoon.
Game One: WCU 5 ESU 3
WP: Kyle Lazer (5-0)
LP: Ethan Woods (2-1)
East Stroudsburg jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning before a two-run home run by
Caleb Strawhecker (West Grove, Pa./Avon Grove) in the home half tied the game at 2-2 and ignited the Golden Ram dugout.
West Chester took a 3-2 lead later in the inning when
Anthony Boccio (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) hit a ground ball to short and the shortstop's throw to third to try and retire
Mark Elliott (Somers Point, N.J./Mainland Regional) got away and allowed Elliott to scamper home and give West Chester the lead.
In the third, East Stroudsburg tied the game with a sac fly to left on a sinking line drive, which Elliott snagged but this was all the Warriors could muster in this half inning as the game went to the home half tied at 3-3.
After two scoreless innings,
Ben Bolhouse (Chadds Ford, Pa./Kennett) restored a slim Golden Ram lead with an RBI single into right-center past the outstretched glove of the Warrior's second baseman to give the Golden Rams a 4-3 lead heading into the sixth.
West Chester added another run in the sixth courtesy of an RBI fielders' choice from
Sean Szestowicki (Mount Royal, N.J./Kingsway), which allowed Elliott to score his second run of the day.
After allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk through the first three innings,
Kyle Lazer (Havertown, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie) (5-0) settled in and allowed just one hit over his final four innings, finishing the complete-game victory with four strikeouts.
Ryan Cavanaugh got the start for ESU and allowed two runs on three hits and a walk before Ethan Woods (2-1) entered in relief. Woods allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit and four walks while striking out one.
Game Two: WCU 4 ESU 3
WP: Patrick Taney (1-0)
LP: Caden Parker (0-1)
S: Ryan DeHaven (1)
East Stroudsburg jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third before West Chester loaded the bases with no outs in the home half of the inning.
The Warriors worked their way out of this early jam without allowing a run to keep the two-run lead intact.
The visitors stretched their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth before the Golden Rams comeback bid began.
After two fielder's choices for the first two outs of the inning,
John Dunion (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) reached on an error and gave West Chester runners of first and second with two outs.
Avery Spencer (Pottsgrove, Pa./Pottsgrove) singled home a run before a
Casey Vaughan (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) walk loaded the bases with two outs.
Stalker singled home a pair with a single that dropped into shallow left-center before Strawhecker lined a single down the right-field line to give the Golden Rams the late 4-3 lead.
Patrick Taney (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) (1-0) entered in relief of
Kyle Kearns (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) in the third and earned his first win of the season, pitching 2.2, allowing just one run on one hit, while walking three and striking out two.
Kearns got the start and allowed two runs on two hits while walking three and striking out three in 2.1 innings of work.
With a slim one-run lead after the fifth-inning rally,
Ryan DeHaven (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) capped off an incredible week with a six-out save, using just 21 pitches to slam the door.
Peyton Brannock got the start for ESU and was charged with three unearned runs on five hits while walking two and striking out three. Caden Parker (0-1) was saddled with the loss, giving up one unearned run on two hits and a walk while striking out one.
Up Next
West Chester will return to action on Tuesday afternoon vs Jefferson in the first-round game of the Bill Giles Classic, with the winner advancing to the Championship game at Citizen's Bank Park on April 8.
