Scoreboard

Bryce Dolak

Baseball 3/1/2024 3:14:00 PM Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Versaw-Barnes Tosses Gem but Golden Knights Lose to West Chester on Walk-Off Hit in Ninth

CARY, N.C. – Looking at the numbers coming into Friday's Gannon-West Chester baseball game, one might have expected a lopsided affair. Gannon opened the 2024 season last weekend with four straight losses to a strong Grand Valley State. West Chester, meanwhile, coasted to three wins while scoring 45 runs and came in ranked 18th in Division II.

Instead, fans were treated to a pitching duel between Gannon's Kieran Versaw-Barnes (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) and Julian Costa of West Chester at the USA Baseball Complex, site of the NCAA Division II World Series. The nine-inning game ended with West Chester pushing across a run in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 win.

Both Versaw-Barnes and Costa went the first six innings. Versaw-Barnes allowed five hits and a pair of walks while striking out six. Costa was equally stingy giving up three hits and striking out eight.

West Chester scored its lone run off Versaw-Barnes in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Golden Rams scored on a one-out single and loaded the bases with two outs but Versaw-Barnes escaped the jam with a pop out to third.

Gannon struck for a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to take a 2-1 lead. Freshman Dom Costello (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted) led off the inning with a single and moved up on a sacrifice by freshman Drew Stangelo (Uniontown, Ohio/North Canton Hoover). Reece Colvin (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) reached on a single with Costello staying at second. With two outs and runners at second and third Jared Bielanin (Erie, Pa./McDowell) came up with a clutch two-run base hit.

West Chester used some small ball of its own to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame against reliever Joe Reitebach (Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg). After a three-up, three-down bottom of the seventh, WCU's leadoff batter was hit by a pitch and moved all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Following a walk the Golden Rams executed a perfect squeeze play to plate the tying run. Another bunt attempt also saw the WCU batter reach base on a fielder's choice.

The Gannon bullpen would hold WCU without another run after facing a one-out, bases-loaded situation. Reitebach induced a ground ball and the runner on third was thrown out at home. Carson Whiteman (Kane, Pa./Kane Area) relieved Reitebach and ended the inning with a pop out to first.

The Golden Knights had a runner reach first on a passed ball with two outs in the top of the ninth but would not threaten.

Following a strikeout to start the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter Gaetan Grandelli walked. A single by Evan Profy advanced pinch runner John Dunion to second. Another walk loaded the bases and Casey Vaughan hit an RBI single to drive across the winning run.

Gannon would finish with six hits, one less than West Chester. Bielanin led the Golden Knights with a 2-for-4 effort.

The Golden Knights will look for win number one in the young season on Saturday with a scheduled doubleheader against D'Youville. The first game is slated for a 10:00 a.m. first pitch.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#12 Jared Bielanin: INF; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#3 Reece Colvin: OF; 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R

#31 Joe Reitebach: RHP; 6' 3"; Senior; R/R

#22 Kieran Versaw-Barnes: RHP; 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior; R/R

#30 Carson Whiteman: RHP; 6' 5"; Junior; R/R

#14 Dom Costello: 1B/OF; 6' 3"; Freshman; L/L

#25 Drew Stangelo: C; 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#12 Jared Bielanin
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: INF

#3 Reece Colvin
: 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#31 Joe Reitebach
: 6' 3"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#22 Kieran Versaw-Barnes
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior; R/R
: RHP

#30 Carson Whiteman
: 6' 5"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#14 Dom Costello
: 6' 3"; Freshman; L/L
: 1B/OF

#25 Drew Stangelo
: 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R
: C