WEST CHESTER, PA — After rolling to a 15-4 victory over fifth-seeded Bloomsburg on Thursday at Serpico Stadium, the West Chester University Golden Rams baseball team advanced to a best-of-three series against East Stroudsburg with a trip to the Super Regionals at stake.
On Friday in Game 1 of the series, it initially looked like the Golden Rams might be in for a long afternoon. East Stroudsburg erupted for four runs in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of two hits, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch to grab an early 4-0 lead.
But West Chester responded immediately. The team exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the inning to erase the deficit and never looked back. From there, the offense stayed relentless, scoring in seven of eight innings on the way to a 22-run, 15-hit outburst.
After getting on the board with a run in the bottom of the first, the Golden Rams seized momentum thanks to Tanner Donati. The Pittsburgh native crushed a grand slam to right field, turning an early deficit into a 5-4 West Chester lead. The blast also marked the team’s first home run of the 2026 postseason.
Local Avon Grove product Caleb Strawhecker played a major role in the offensive outburst, going 3-for-5 with five RBI.
Carter Rust, an Ohio native, also delivered a strong performance, finishing 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
The win improved West Chester to 2-0 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, with the team outscoring opponents 37-11 through the opening two games of regional play.
On Saturday, the Golden Rams returned to the field for Game 2 of the series with an opportunity to clinch a spot in the Super Regionals.
West Chester’s offense stayed red hot, scoring in the opening inning before breaking the game open with a six-run second inning. The Golden Rams added another run in the third, four more in the sixth, and two in the eighth on the way to a 14-7 victory on 10 hits.
With the win, West Chester secured its first trip to the Super Regionals since 2022, adding another accomplishment to the career of West Chester alumnus and former All-American player turned head coach Mike LaRosa.
“I’m so proud of and excited for our guys,” said LaRosa following the victory.
“I’m particularly excited for the guys who have been around for a few years and have been on this stage but haven’t had the chance to experience this type of success. I thought today was another complete win for us. We stayed hot offensively and got that early separation and then kept putting together good innings and adding insurance runs, which was crucial because East Stroudsburg would not go away. We’ve said all week what a good team ESU is, and they showed it again today, battling all day long with great at-bats throughout the game, but credit to our guys for matching their effort and earning a great win.”
Rust continued his torrid stretch at the plate in Saturday’s victory, going 3-for-5 with a leadoff home run and a two-run double in the third inning. He finished the afternoon with three RBI and three runs scored.
The Golden Rams also improved to 23-1 this season when scoring first, continuing a trend that has fueled much of the team’s success throughout the year.
Under LaRosa, West Chester has continued to establish itself as one of the top programs in the region, with the longtime head coach once again guiding the Golden Rams to another deep postseason run.
West Chester will now turn its attention to Millersville in the Super Regionals beginning Thursday. The location and game times have yet to be announced.
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