West Chester University’s baseball team pushed their winning streak to seven with wins over Philadelphia University and their PSAC East conference rival Bloomsburg University.West Chester’s Kyle Orensky led the offense with five RBI’s as the Golden Rams easily defeated University of the Sciences (Phila.) 13-4 in a non-league game Wednesday at Serpico Stadium. WCU opened the game with a leadoff home-run from Kevin McGrath, his second of the season. By the end of the first inning WCU jumped on top of the winless USP Devils (0-9) 4-0. McGrath finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs score.
Senior shortstop Nick Spisak scored four runs and stole four bases. Spisak walked three times and was hit by a pitch. Six of WCU’s runs came on sacrifice flies. Orensky had three and Joe Wendle contributed with two. Wendle finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Freshman designated hitter Nick Bonadies went 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Nine different pitchers were used in the win over USP.
Eric Carmichael got the start and the win in the game. Carmichael struck out one batter in the first inning. USP pitcher Greg Nealis (0-3) took the loss. He pitched just two innings, giving up four runs on four hits while walking one WCU batter.
On Friday March 19 WCU swept the doubleheader over host Bloomsburg University at Litwhiler Field in the PSAC East baseball opener. No. 8 West Chester defeated Bloomsburg 10-7 in game one, and 18-3 in game two. Spisak and Brandon Wolfe were both tough outs for Bloomsburg pitchers. Each of them went 6-for-8 in the doubleheader.
Spisak drove home six runs and scored six runs himself. Wolfe hit two solo home-runs and ended with three RBI’s, and scored five runs as well. Wendle was 5-for-9 throughout the day.
Matt Baer hit a three-run home-run in the fourth inning of game two. Baer’s home-run got the offense started for WCU as he broke a scoreless tie. WCU had four more runners cross the plate in the fifth. In the sixth WCU put Bloomsburg away with an eight run inning which improved the lead to 13 as the score was 15-2.
The Golden Rams would go on to score three more runs in the seventh. Bill Pace singled in a run and Baer doubled home another. The 18th and final run scored was due to a Bloomsburg error.
Left-hander Carmichael pitched five innings, giving up four hits and two runs while striking out six. After picking up the win in game two Carmichael now improves his record to 4-1.
Freshman right-hander Fred Breidenbach (4-0) stayed perfect on the mound with a win in game one. Breidenbach threw four innings and gave up five runs, only one of which was earned. He allowed six hits, walked five and struck out six BU batters.
Chris Ott pitched two innings of relief; he gave up two runs on four hits, walked one and struck out one. Jordan Lehman came on in the seventh where he successfully picked up his first save of the season. He struck out three and gave up two hits in his only inning of work. Bloomsburg pitcher Grant Kernaghan (0-3) took the loss in the opener against WCU. He tossed 6 2/3 innings and allowed a total of nine runs on nine hits and struck out nine batters.
Last Saturday afternoon the Golden Rams beat up on Bloomsburg once again by a score of 12-5 at a sunny Serpico Stadium.
In the fifth inning, Bloomsburg scored three runs off of starting pitcher Jordan Lehman to take a 4-3 lead. WCU retaliated in the home half of the fifth with five runs of their own to take an 8-4 lead that they would not relinquish. After Josh Heyne struck out for the first out of the inning, McGrath started the rally with a double. He would advance to third base on a wild pitch. Spisak got McGrath home with a sac fly. Wendle then singled, followed by an RBI double by Charlie Kelly. Orensky, Bob Stumpo, and Wolfe all knocked in runs during the fifth inning.
WCU would tack on four more insurance runs that came from an Orensky grand slam that put the contest out of reach. Spisak finished 1-for-2 with a homerun, three RBI and was hit by a pitch. Orensky went 2-for-4 with five RBI. Lehman lasted 4 1/3 innings, yielding five hits, four runs, three of which were earned. Carmen Daddario (3-0) came on in relief and picked up the win. He pitched the final 2 2/3 innings surrendering four hits, and one earned run.
Nine of West Chester’s 12 runs came from two-out hits. Timely and clutch hitting has helped this team improve their overall record to 15-3. They made it seven in a row in game two of the doubleheader as they easily overcame the Huskies once again, this time by a score of 10-2.
WCU’s upcoming schedule has them traveling to Millersville Tuesday March 23 for a doubleheader. Wednesday March 24 WCU will host Lincoln University, starting at 1:30 p.m. Friday March 26 the Golden Rams will play two at Serpico Stadium against East Stroudsburg, game one at 1:00 p.m. Saturday March 27 WCU will head to East Stroudsburg to wrap up the four game set with ESU.
Steven Fisher is a third-year student majoring in communications with a minor in Journalism. He can be reached at SF674180@wcupa.edu.