Brandon Wetherholt
Gannon Sports Information
6
Winner Gannon GAN 33-16
4
West Chester WCU-B 31-15
Winner
Gannon GAN
33-16
6
Final
4
West Chester WCU-B
31-15
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Gannon GAN 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 13 0
West Chester WCU-B 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 4 6 2

W: Judy, Deven (8-0) L: Zach Rice (6-3) S: Phelps, Ty (2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Josh Hill, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Judy’s Gem, Timely Hitting Propels GU to First NCAA Tournament Win in School History (Photos/Highlights)


 

THE RUNDOWN
  • Final Score: Gannon 6, West Chester 4
  • Records: Gannon (33-16) | West Chester (31-15)
  • Location: Serpico Stadium – West Chester, Pa. (NCAA Atlantic Regional II)
 
GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER ­
KEY SEQUENCE
  • Deven Judy (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon Area) dealt a season-saving gem while Nate Cardy (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) and Brandon Wetherholt (Gibsonia, Pa./Mars Area) collected four hits each as the Golden Knights picked up a gutsy 6-4 win over West Chester on Friday. Ahead by two, Judy fired a pair of scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh before Ty Phelps (Pomeroy, Ohio/Meigs) was able to close out the rest of the game on the mound.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Much like the last meeting between the two sides, Gannon was locked in at the plate early. Wetherholt began his day with a leadoff single to left on an 0-2 pitch. He moved to second on a balk and ran to third with a single through the left side from Cardy. Wetherholt slid home for the first run of the afternoon on a sacrifice fly from Jared Beach (McDonald, Pa./Canon-McMillan). The Golden Knights extended that lead to 2-0 after Dominic Mori (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield Area) hustled down the line, prompting an errant throw, which allowed Cardy to trot home from third.
  • West Chester plated its first run on a chopper to second, and the Golden Rams tied the game at two with a slow-rolling bunt to third. Battling through with the bases loaded and balls that were not hit particularly hard, Judy got a groundout to end the frame with the score tied at two.  
  • Gannon did not wait long to take the lead back, plating three third inning runs to jump back in front. Cardy plated Wetherholt, who smacked his second straight single to open the inning, for a 3-2 lead. The Golden Rams traded two for one, rolling a double play as Gannon pushed across another run for a 4-2 edge.
  • Ian Hess (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillian ) was able to compose himself after fouling a pitch off his leg, sending a looping single over the head of the West Chester shortstop and into left center for a 5-2 lead. Judy began to lock it down from there, striking out the side in the third and holding WCU scoreless in the fourth. The Golden Rams doubled home a run in the fifth, making the score 5-3, but Judy shut the door from there over his final two innings of work.
  • Ian Steighner (Chicora, Pa./Butler) gave the Golden Knights a big insurance run with a solo home run to left for a 6-3 lead. WCU notched one more run in the bottom of the ninth, but Phelps got the final three outs to end the game.
 
GAME NOTES
  • Gannon recorded its first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, avenging an 11-1 loss to the Golden Rams in the PSAC Tournament just seven days ago.  
  • The four-hit game for Wetherholt was the first of his Gannon career. Cardy also notched four knocks, marking the sixth time a Golden Knight has had four hits in a game this season.
  • Judy emptied the tank in his superb start, firing a career-high 141 pitches in the win. Despite the high volume of pitches, Friday's outing was not Judy's longest of the season. He went 7.2 innings against Seton Hill back on April 6.
  • Judy, who pushed his record to 8-0 in 2019, pumped in a career-high 14 strikeouts. That brings his strikeout total to 96 in 2019, a new school record for a single season.
  • Elijah Quiceno (Berryville, Va./Stonebridge) and Mori continue to produce at the plate in big moments, extending their hitting streaks to four games each.
  • Wetherholt excelled in his first game as the leadoff hitter behind a four-hit game. He also scored a pair of key runs for Gannon.
  • Saywer Overhoff made his first career start at second and was a consistent defensive presence throughout the game. Matt Ruggiero (Williamsville, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) made the start at third for the Golden Knights.
 
UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns to action tomorrow (May 18) for a rematch with Charleston (W. Va.) at 11:00 AM.
  • Live stats and live video will be provided from West Chester.
Print Friendly Version