WEST CHESTER, Pa.- The No. 14/19 West Chester University baseball team (20-5, 4-2) remained unbeaten at home on Friday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader from Kutztown (8-15, 2-4) with an 11-0 victory in game one before posting a 3-2 comeback victory in the nightcap to sweep the first two games of the series from the Golden Bears.
The Golden Ram defense was clutch late in the game two victory for West Chester as
Anthony Boccio (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville), Austin Stalker (Wycombe, Pa./Council Rock North), and Caleb Strawhecker (West Grove, Pa./Avon Grove) teamed up to throw out the tying run at the plate in the fifth before
Jake Welsch (Glenmoore, Pa./Downingtown West) closed out the game with a diving catch in center.
West Chester will look to complete the sweep at Kutztown tomorrow afternoon beginning at 1 p.m.
Game One: WCU 11 Kutztown 0
WP: Julian Costa (6-1)
LP: Abel Saft (0-4)
Kutztown threatened in the top of the first after a leadoff single by Bo Barthol and a hit-by-pitch helped the Golden Bears put runners on second and third with just one out.
Julian Costa (Mantua, N.J./Clearview) settled in quickly, getting a big second out via a strikeout before getting his final out on a fly ball to left.
Anthony Boccio (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) drove in the first run of the game via a sac fly to right, which scored
Jake Welsch (Glenmoore, Pa./Downingtown West), who had been hit by a pitch to open the inning.
West Chester doubled its lead in the second when a high throw on what appeared to be third out of the inning allowed
Casey Vaughan (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) to scamper home.
After two scoreless innings, West Chester exploded for nine runs on seven hits, including a two-run home run to right from
Austin Stalker (Wycombe, Pa./Council Rock North) along with RBI singles from Boccio and
Avery Spencer (Pottsgrove, Pa./Pottsgrove) along with a pair of RBI doubles by
Ben Bolhouse (Chadds Ford, Pa./Kennett) and
Sean Szestowicki (Mount Royal, N.J./Kingsway).
Now leading by 11, Costa worked a scoreless sixth, allowing just his second hit of the game and first since the first inning to keep West Chester comfortably in front heading into the seventh.
Costa's day was finished after the sixth as he turned in another strong effort to earn his sixth win of the season, allowing just two hits, while striking out eight in six shutout innings.
Drew Costello (Haddon Heights, N.J./Haddon Heights) entered in relief and worked a scoreless seventh inning, allowing just one hit while striking out a pair to secure the victory.
Abel Saft (0-4) took the loss for Kutztown, allowing 10 runs (five earned) on nine hits and two walks in 4.2 innings of work.
Game Two: WCU 3 Kutztown 2
WP: Nick Noga (2-2)
LP: Cody Barberio (2-2)
S: David Ferguson (2)
Kutztown scored two early runs in the first on three hits before
Nick Noga (Avondale, Pa./Avon Grove) escaped the inning with a 4-6-3 double play to send the game to the home first with Kutztown leading 2-0.
Bolhouse cut the deficit in half with a double into the left center gap, which plated Szestowicki, who had lined a 1-1 offering into center for a one-out single earlier in the frame. Bolhouse made his way to third with two outs courtesy of a wild pitch, which allowed him to score on a single into left from Spencer, quickly tying the game at 2-2.
Welsch gave West Chester its first lead of the day in the fourth inning with a single into the 5-6 hole, which was enough to score Stalker, who had advanced to third after working a walk, stealing second, and moving to third on a failed pickoff attempt.
In the top of the fifth, Kutztown looked as if it may tie the game with a two-out single to right but Boccio came up throwing and hit Stalker, who sent a great relay throw to
Caleb Strawhecker (West Grove, Pa./Avon Grove) for a tag at the plate to keep the lead intact.
This finished the day for Noga, as he improved to 2-2 on the year with a final line of six hits and two runs on five innings of work, including one strikeout.
David Ferguson (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) entered in relief and finished the game on the mound with his second six-out save of the week, allowing just one hit, while striking out one as well.
Barberio suffered the loss for Kutztown, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks, while striking out one.
Up Next:
West Chester will be back in action on Saturday at Kutztown, beginning at 1 p.m.
