No. 18 West Chester Baseball Splits with Shippensburg
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – No. 18 West Chester split a pair of games in a doubleheader against host Shippensburg at Fairchild Field this afternoon. The Golden Rams (13-4, 5-1 PSAC) won the first game in a pitcher's duel 1-0, while Shippensburg (8-12-1, 3-3 PSAC) captured game two by scoring four runs in the fifth to earn a 6-5 victory. So., RHP Jon Fisher (2-1) (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh) tossed a five hit, complete-game shutout against Shippensburg to start the day. The sophomore went seven strong innings while fanning seven batters and only allowing one walk. The team only compiled a pair of hits, but it resulted in the lone run of the game. Crossing the plate for the only run was Nick Ward (Unionville, Pa. / Unionville). In the nightcap, West Chester's Jared Melone (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) was a force to be reckoned with at the plate by knocking his first and second homerun of the season. He blasted a two-run homerun to left field in the top of the first to get things started. Melone's second homer came in the final frame, but it would not be enough to spark a late game rally as the squad fell by a run. Sr., Anthony Salomone (Dillsburg, Pa. / Northern York) provided a two out RBI single to right field in the top of the third to extend the lead. A wild pitch would go onto score Drew Jarmuz (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) after singling through the left side earlier in the inning. Despite the 4-0 advantage, Shippensburg answered in the fourth with a run of their own before exploding for four hits and four runs in the fifth. Sr., RHP Eric Close (2-1) (Berwyn, Pa./Haverford) suffered the loss, after going six innings and allowing seven hits for only one earned runs. He did have six strikeouts to only a pair of walks through those six frames as well. All four runs in the fifth were unearned, due to an error. West Chester is set to host Shippensburg in a doubleheader tomorrow at Serpico Stadium with a scheduled alumni event to take place before first pitch at 1 p.m. The 2017 campaign marks West Chester's 125th season of intercollegiate baseball by honoring alums from the program's storied history. Former Golden Rams as far back as the 1950s are expected to attend.
