West Chester Scores Three in the Ninth To Win Continuation of Bill Giles Suspended Game Last Month
WILMINGTON, DEL – West Chester scored three runs in the top of the ninth without recording a hit, then held off Wilmington's rally in the bottom half to pick up a 10-9 victory in the continuation of a game started on March 19, but halted due to darkness.
West Chester (23-5) advances to the Bill Giles Championship Game on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park. The Golden Rams will face Jefferson University at 1 p.m. in a rematch of last year's title game.
Joe Kaleck (Southampton, Pa./Neshaminy) and John DeMucci (Swarthmore, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie) each reached base by an error to lead off the top of the ninth Monday. Anthony Boccio (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) was then walked to load the bases with nobody out. Avery Spencer (Pottsgrove, Pa./Pottsgrove) was hit by a pitch, forcing home Kaleck, before hometown hero and pinch-hitter John Dunion (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) drew a walk to push across another. Darius Troche (Shillington, Pa./Gov. Mifflin) hit a sacrifice fly to score Boccio with the third and final run, all unearned, of the frame.
Wilmington (14-12) rallied in its half of the ninth by putting the first two batters on base against WCU closer Kyle Lazer (Havertown, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie). Those two batters eventually came around to score. However, Lazer (2-1) finally retired the side stranding the tying run at second base to increase the Golden Rams' win streak to 13.
Back on March 19, the Golden Rams jumped out to a 7-0 lead after three. However, a four-run sixth and a three-run eighth by the Wildcats evened things up, before the umps came together with the two head coaches and decided to suspend the game because there would not be sufficient daylight to finish the ninth inning in its entirety.
West Chester starter Nick Noga (Avondale, Pa./Avon Grove) pitched well over the first four innings. He faced just one batter over the minimum, allowing one hit and striking out two, without allowing a run.
The Purple & Gold put up a five-spot in its first at bats. Zack Miles (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) hit a RBI double. Avery Spencer (Pottsgrove, Pa./Pottsgrove) registered an RBI in the first when he walked with the bases loaded. He then hit a sacrifice fly in the second for his second RBI of the game. The Golden Rams scored a run in the third on a wild pitch.
West Chester makes its 19th appearance in the Bill Giles Classic Championship Game Wednesday. They are the defending champions having beaten Jefferson last April, 5-2. The Golden Rams have won the Bill Giles Classic 14 times in 21 years of the tournament. West Chester is 14-4 all-time in the Bill Giles Classic Championship Game.
Tickets for the game are $5 and can be purchased at the Home Plate ticketing windows on game day. Entrance into the ballpark will be at the Home Plate VIP Entrance. Parking can be found in the Phillies "P" lot, which is located on Darien Street.
Jefferson will play for the Bill Giles Invitational title for the second year in a row. Last year's appearance was the school's first since 2013 when they defeated Wilmington, 11-6, to claim the crown. Jefferson also won the tournament in 2002 and 2001.
The Bill Giles Invitational was introduced in 2001 as a Division II Tournament involving four schools from the Philadelphia area. Today, the tournament features West Chester University, Chestnut Hill College, Thomas Jefferson University and Wilmington University.
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