ASTON, Pa. – Shepherd (12-13-1, 7-7-1 PSAC East) split with 16th-ranked West Chester (18-8, 7-5 PSAC East) in PSAC East baseball action at the Maple Zone Sports Village on Monday afternoon. Shepherd posted a 5-2 victory in game one while West Chester took the nightcap with a 15-6 win.
The Rams took a 3-0 lead in the second inning in game one with RBI-singles from sophomore designated player Peyton Mason (Knoxville, Md./Boonsboro/Wilson College) and senior outfielder Tommy Gibson (Sicklerville, NJ/Williamstown/Penn State/Rowan) keying the rally.
Shepherd added a run in the fourth on a solo homer by Mason.
The Rams took a 5-0 lead in the fifth as junior outfielder Cole Daugherty (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) singled and later scored on a single by junior first baseman Ross Mulhall (Morgantown, W.Va./University/Gardner-Webb).
The Golden Rams plated a pair of runs in the sixth on RBI-singles by Joe Kaleck and Luke Cantwell.
Mason and Mulhall each had a pair of hits to lead a nine-hit attack for the Rams.
Graduate student pitcher Ryan Bywaters (Smithsburg, Md./Smithsburg/Radford) (7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 9 K, 0 BB) (1-0) earned the complete game win for the Rams. Joe Sperone (4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 5 K, 1 BB) (4-1) took the loss for the Golden Rams.
The Golden Rams used an 18-hit effort in the nightcap win.
Zack Wright, Keith Flaherty, and Kaleck each hit a home run and had three hits to pace West Chester.
Mason had a three-run homer and Mulhall added a solo blast to pace the Rams. Junior third baseman Ryan Haddaway (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) and Mulhall each collected three hits for the Rams.
Kyle Lazer (4.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 K, 0 BB) (2-0) gained the win for the Golden Rams. Redshirt-senior pitcher Nick Trabacchi (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West/UMBC) (4.0 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 K, 2 BB) (2-5) took the loss for the Rams.
The Rams return to action on Friday when they travel to Millersville for a 2 p.m. contest. Doubleheader action slated for tomorrow at Alderson Broaddus has been postponed. No makeup plans have been announced.