HEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – Graduate student quarterback Michael Hardyway (Winchester, Cal./Oceanside/Bucknell) lofted a 20-yard scoring strike to redshirt senior wide receiver Malakai Brown (Martinsburg, W.Va./Martinsburg) with 7:09 left in the game to lift Shepherd (2-4, 2-1 PSAC East) to a 28-24 win over West Chester (3-2, 1-1 PSAC East) in PSAC East football action at Monte Cater Field at Ram Stadium on  Saturday.

Shepherd took a 7-0 lead when graduate student running back Grant Swinehart (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby/VMI) on a two-yard plunge with 5:59 left in the first quarter. Sophomore kicker Keith Baker (Prince Frederick, Md./Calvert) added the extra point.

West Chester tied the game at 7-7 when Ethan Kohler scored on a one-yard run with 8:16 left in the second quarter.

The Golden Rams took a 14-7 lead on a one-yard run by Khalil Owens minutes later.

Redshirt junior running back Jordan Barnett (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge/FUMA/Southern Utah) scored on a two-yard run with 1:15 left in the half to tie the game before the break.

Graduate student defensive back Klayton Batten (Waldorf, Md./St. Charles) opened the second half scoring when he fielded a West Chester punt and raced 74 yards for a score with 6:16 left in the third quarter to give the Rams a 21-14 lead.

Rylan Zuk connected on a 22-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 21-17.

Colin O'Sullivan teamed with Thatcher Miller on a seven-yard scoring passes with 10:40 left in the game to take a 24-21 advantage.

Hardyway completed 16-of-24 passes for 151 yards. O'Sullivan was 13-of-25 for 106 yards for West Chester.

Junior wide receiver Jaden Ashby (Cross Junction, Va./James Wood/Southern Utah) led the Shepherd receivers with four catches for 47 yards. Ivan Thorpe had four receptions for 38 yards for West Chester.

Barnett had 19 carries for a game-high 136 yards for the Rams. Owens had 20 carries for 52 yards for the Golden Rams.

Shepherd amassed 328 yards of total offense and West Chester had 271 yards.

Senior defensive lineman Nathan Muhle (Harpers Ferry, W.Va./Jefferson) had eight tackles (six solos) with four tackles-for-loss and a pair of sacks to lead the Shepherd defense. Conner Noble, Gus Ross, and Jimmy Wright each had seven stops for West Chester.

The Rams return to action on Saturday when they travel to Bloomsburg for a 2 p.m. game