WEST CHESTER, Pa. — ESU led late in both games of Sunday's doubleheader at West Chester, but the Golden Rams completed comebacks in 6-2 and 8-7 wins to take the series.
PITCHING NOTABLES
- Evan Hughes started the day for ESU on the mound, throwing 5.1 IP and keeping West Chester off the scoreboard for the first five innings of the game. He struck out eight batters while only walking two.
- Peyton Brannock had a solid start for ESU in game two, completing 4.0 IP. He struck out three, allowing one earned run.
BATTING NOTABLES
- Prior to the second contest of the day, ESU had gone 10-consecutive games without a home run. Connor Reilly and Walker Zampella broke that streak, delivering with deep shots for ESU's third multi-home run game of the season. Each finished the game with three RBI, as Reilly went 2-3 and Zampella 2-4.
- Easton Albert was ESU's best batter on Friday, and his momentum carried over into the first game of the day. He had a two-RBI double to start the doubleheader, adding another hit in the second game.
GAME ONE
- Hughes had to work around a couple of scoring chances for West Chester, but navigated through those early in the game. He stranded a runner in scoring position in each of the first two innings before settling in. He'd strike out four batters in the first three innings, striking out the side in the fifth to get to seven total on the day.
- All the scoring in the first game came in the sixth inning for both teams. Cole Serfass got on base with a one-out single, moving up to second base with a stolen base. Now with two outs, Zampella drew a four-pitch walk to bring up Albert. He was able to take the first pitch he saw and send it down the right field line, clearing the bases with a two-run double.
- However, the Golden Rams quickly erased their deficit and created a lead with two swings. After loading the bases, ESU went to Jake Albert in relief. He struck out the first batter he faced, but West Chester's next three at-bats would decide the game. Christian Michak hit a two-run single up the middle to tie the game, then hit Tanner Donati to reload the bases. In a 2-2 count, Patrick Gozdan hit a grand slam to put the Golden Rams up 6-2.
GAME TWO
- West Chester opened the scoring in game two, getting on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Michak and Dunion moved up into scoring position off of a double steal, and Gozdan hit a fly ball to right field that allowed Dunion to score and give the Golden Rams a 1-0 lead.
- The bats got going for the Warriors their next time up, as Christian Maccarrone led off the top of the third with a single through the left side of the infield. In the next at-bat, Reilly sent a 2-2 pitch over the fence to give ESU its first lead of the game.
- The Golden Rams would tie the game up with a run in the bottom of the third, but a two-run fourth inning put ESU back in front. Serfass got on board with an infield single to lead things off, moving up to second as Parker Frey got on base with a single up the middle. Zampella got his first RBI of the day, scoring Serfass with a single into left field to give ESU the lead. Frey would get over to third base with two outs in the inning, as Reilly singled down the right field line to double the Warriors' lead as Frey crossed the plate.
- ESU built its lead to five runs in the top of the fifth, getting on the basepath immediately after a Ryan Manning pinch-hit double. Troy Davis worked a full count walk, giving Serfass two base runners as he came up to hit. He singled through the left side, allowing Manning to score and moving Davis up to second. After a double play left Davis on third, Zampella turned on the eighth pitch he saw in his at-bat, hitting a two-run home run to left field.
- Down 7-2, West Chester got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning. Now with Cade Davis on the mound for Brannock, the Golden Rams hit two singles and a double to cut into ESU's lead. After chasing Davis, Cole Dymek came in to get the final two outs of the inning.
- West Chester continued to trim ESU's lead in the bottom of the sixth, as Austin Shank chipped away with a solo home run to make it 7-5. Johansel Brito took over on the mound for Dymek in the bottom of the seventh, but was unable to hold the lead for the Warriors. The Golden Rams had runners on the corners with no outs, as Drew Simpson scored Caleb Strawhecker with a single to right field. Hunter Smith laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the two Golden Rams baserunners into scoring position before Michak was intentionally walked. Then, in consecutive at-bats, the Golden Rams worked two full-count walks to tie and win the game, 8-7.
UP NEXT
ESU looks to bounce back against Bloomsburg, beginning the series at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 3 in Bloomsburg, Pa.
