(JOHNSTOWN, PA)-Story by www.wviac.org-- West Chester (43-14) rallied for seven runs in the final four innings to overcome a 4-0 deficit in a 7-4 NCAA Division II North Atlantic Tournament victory against Concord (35-15).
Eighth inning doubles by Matt Cotellese, Kyle Bechter, and Bob Stumpo produced a pair of runs for the top-seeded Rams as they took the lead for good at 5-4.
Concord jumped out to a quick 3-0 edge in the bottom of the first. Blake Cullen led off with a home run. A Tim Merolillo double and Matt Kuntz RBI groundout helped the Mountain Lions to take advantage of two WCU errors for the early three-run edge.
Cullen plated the other Concord run in the fifth. The centerfielder led off the inning with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Donovan Huffer, and scored on a botched pickoff throw by Golden Ram pitcher Jason Bowman.
West Chester finally got on the board in the sixth. Blair Dameron laced a single to set the stage for a Cotellese two-run homer that cut the CU lead in half at 4-2.
The Golden Rams shaved another run off the lead in the seventh. Stumpo walked to open the inning and scored on a Stumpo triple.
Dameron and Cotellese delivered insurance run-scoring singles in the ninth for WCU. Eric Carmichael notched his tenth save by working a scoreless ninth.
Bowman improved to 10-1 after giving up five hits and two earned runs in eight innings. He fanned five and walked none.
Trey Smith suffered the loss in relief for Concord after allowing three hits and two runs in 1 2/3 innings. Allen Schurdell, the Mountain Lion starter, was tagged for seven hits and three runs in six innings.
Cotellese was the game's hitting star with four hits and three runs batted in. Drew Pare and Frank Nunan added two hits each.
West Chester faces Pitt Johnstown or Shippensburg in Saturday's 11:00 a.m. contest.
NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional
May 15-18
Johnstown, PA
Point Stadium
Thursday, 5/15
G1: #1 West Chester 5, #6 Kutztown 3
G2: #5 Shippensburg 10, #2 West Virginia State 2
G3: #4 Pitt Johnstown 6, #3 Concord 3
Friday, 5/16
G4: Kutztown 2, West Virginia State 1
G5: West Chester 7, Concord 4
G6: Shippensburg vs. Pitt Johnstown 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, 5/17
G7: West Chester vs. Winner G6 11:00 a.m.
G8: Kutztown vs. Loser G6 3:00 p.m.
G9: Winner G8 vs. Loser G7 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, 5/18
G10: Winner G7 vs. Winner G9
G11: Second championship game (if necessary)
