West Chester University baseball team sweeps doubleheader

The West Chester University baseball team (16-5-1) extended its winning streak to six consecutive games, sweeping a non-league doubleheader against host Chestnuit Hill on a sunny, but windy and brisk Friday afternoon.
Anthony Boccio (a Coatesville High School alum) hit a grand slam in the opener, an 8-5 win; and Joe Kaleck hit a two-run shot in the nightcap, a 7-4 victory.
For the first time as a Golden Ram, Boccio did not get a hit in a game, ending his consecutive hitting streak at 21 games. It is believed to be the fourth longest in school history since such records were kept. But it falls six games shy of the school mark of 27 set by Andy Bortz.
Despite the streak coming to a close, Boccio played a big role in the opener when his grand slam in the fifth broke things open. In the nightcap, Kaleck’s two-run blast in the top of the sixth pushed a one-run lead to three against Chestnut Hill (7-19).
John DeMucci hit a two-run homer in the top of the first inning of Game 1 to get the Golden Rams started early. Avery Spencer put the visitors on top 3-2 with a RBI single in the third. In the fifth, DeMucci walked to force in a run, then Boccio followed with a grand slam that broke the game open, 8-2.
Kyle Lazer came on in the seventh and closed out the game for his third save of the season. Joe Sperone improved to 4-1 on the season with the win on the mound. He threw the first 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four. Gannon Kadlecik tossed 1 1/3 for the hold allowing one run on two hits.
In the second game, Zack Miles’ two-run double in the fourth inning broke a 3-3 tie. In the sixth inning, with the Golden Rams leading 5-4, Kaleck smashed his homer to left-center in the sixth to close out the scoring.
David Ferguson (a Downingtown East alum) threw 3 2/3 innings in relief to pick up his first win of the season. Drew Simpson pitched the seventh for his first career save and played third base for the first six frames and went 2-for-3 at the plate.

Softball
Golden Rams earn split >> Paige Marabell hit a pair of home runs in game one to help lead the West Chester University softball team (16-9, 5-3) to a split against No. 14 East Stroudsburg (25-7, 7-3) in PSAC East action on Friday afternoon. Marabell gave West Chester an early lead in game one with a solo shot in the third inning, and the Golden Rams never trailed in a 7-2 victory before dropping the nightcap by a 2-0 final. Alexa Peterson (a Bishop Shanahan alum) had a two-run singles in the first game for the Golden Rams, and teammate Mairead Hopkins (a West Chester Rustin alum) slammed a home run. WCU pitcher Mackenzie Edwards picked up her seventh win of the year, scattering six hits and a pair of runs while striking out five in 5.1 innings of work.