WEST CHESTER, Pa.- After winning the Bill Giles Classic each of the last two seasons, the 14
th-ranked West Chester University baseball team (18-5) will have a chance to defend its crown for the third year in a row after defeating Jefferson (13-7) by a 4-2 final in a Bill Giles Classic First Round matchup on Tuesday afternoon in West Chester.
West Chester jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed as the Golden Rams got strong outings from five different pitchers to secure the 4-2 victory.
Anthony Boccio (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) gave West Chester an early lead with an RBI triple to right field, before scoring moments later on a double into the gap from
Ben Bolhouse (Chadds Ford, Pa./Kennett) to give the Golden Rams a 2-0 lead. Bolhouse scored moments later when
Casey Vaughan (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) swiped second, which allowed Bolhouse to scamper home and make it a 3-0 lead.
Jefferson got two runs back in the third with a two-run home run before West Chester escaped the inning without any further damage, holding a slim 3-2 advantage.
Caleb Strawhecker (West Grove, Pa./Avon Grove) got the lead back to two in the fourth with an RBI single to right, which scored Vaughan, who had reached on a single earlier in the inning.
Danny Carr (Paoli, Pa./Great Valley) and Kyle Kearns (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) split the first three innings, with Carr starting and allowing two hits and two walks while striking out three.
Evan Wineburg (Norristown, PA/Archbishop Carroll) and Jesse Specter (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) both pitched two scoreless innings in relief, with Wineburg striking out four and Specter striking
bout a pair.
David Ferguson (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) was exceptional in the final two innings, earning his first save of the year with two scoreless, hitless innings, while striking out five to slam the door and send West Chester back to Citizens Bank Park in early April once again.
Danny Kerr suffered the loss for Jefferson, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks, while striking out a pair in six innings of work.
Boccio, Szestowicki and Strawhecker all turned in 2-for-4 afternoon's at the plate to help guide the Golden Rams back to Citizen's Bank Park.
West Chester will face Wilmington in the Championship game at Citizen's Bank Park on April 8 beginning at 1 p.m. The Wildcats advanced back to the Championship after defeating Chestnut Hill over the weekend.
