WCU Comes From Behind To Defeat Southern New Hampshire

The following is a press release from the West Chester University Athletic Department.

ack Provine hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning that broke a five-all tie and sparked a nine-run rally over the final two innings leading West Chester to a 13-7 victory over Southern New Hampshire in the second round of the 2012 NCAA Division II national finals  at the USA Baseball National Training Center.
 
West Chester (44-10) advances to Thursday evening and the semifinals where it will await a loser’s bracket opponent out of Bracket Two. Southern New Hampshire (43-14) falls into the loser’s bracket and will take on Minnesota State-Mankato, who eliminated Chico State, 6-5, earlier in the day. That game will be played on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
 
West Chester erased two separate deficits to come from behind and pick up the win. The Rams are the first team to advance to the final four of the tournament on Thursday. It is the furthest the Golden Rams have ventured in the College World Series in three trips.
 
The Golden Rams came alive with four runs in the eighth and five more in the ninth to seal the victory. Southern New Hampshire went to its closer, Alex Powers, to start the eighth. However, West Chester battered around the Penmen’s closer with three doubles and Provine’s homer, before Powers exited having allowed four runs while retiring just one batter.
 
SNHU jumped on top with three runs in the bottom of the first. West Chester answered with two in the top of the second. Justin Lamborn and Matt Baer drew back-to-back, one-out walks, and then catcher Reid Pulford hit a two-out, two-run single through the left side.
 
The Penmen tacked on one more in the bottom of the sixth to move out in front, 4-2. However, West Chester scored 11 runs over the final three innings to break things open. Provine singled up the middle to lead off the seventh, and All-America second baseman Joe Wendle tripled to right-center, plating Provine. Chris Pula then singled home Wendle to knot things at 4-all.
 
When the Penmen answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to pull in front, the Golden Rams hung a four-spot on Powers in the eighth. An error by SNHU in the ninth let three unearned runs score as West Chester pushed across a total of five runs to salt away the contest.
 
Matt McAllister (6-0) pitched 2.1 innings in relief to get the win for West Chester on the mound. Kyle Weary (6) came on to pitch the eighth and ninth for his sixth save of the season. Powers (5-2) had only allowed four runs on the season before the Golden Rams tagged him for that many in one-third of an inning.
 
Wendle went 3-for-6 with a triple and a double. Provine and Pulford each finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and three RBI. Josh Heyne was a perfect 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a pair of walks. He reached base safely in all five trips to the plate Thursday night.
 
In all, West Chester rapped out 16 hits against seven different SNHU pitchers.
Jordan Lehman started for the Golden Rams, but lasted just 4.2 innings. He allowed three runs, two of them earned, on six hits. He didn’t walk anybody, but hit four batters. He also struck out three. Southern New Hampshire starter Junior Mendez lasted just 2.1 innings in his shortest start of the season. He allowed a pair of runs on a pair of hits, walked three, struck out two and hit one batter.
 
NOTES: Start of the game was delayed 41 minutes due to weather … West Chester moves to 3-4 in three trips to the national finals … the Golden Rams have reached the final four of the national finals for the first time in school history …   Joe Wendle’s RBI triple in the seventh was his 20th career three-bagger …  Wendle hit a single, double and triple in the game, falling only a home run shy of the cycle.