Published: May 16, 2008 10:33 pm      

CU season ends with region loss

JOHNSTOWN, Penn. — After holding top seeded West Chester scoreless for the first five innings, Concord University let a four-run lead slip away and fell 7-4 Friday at Point Stadium.

The loss ends the season for the Mountain Lions, which established a new school record with 35 wins. Concord dropped a 6-3 decision to Pitt-Johnstown in an opening round game on Thursday.

Concord seemed poised for a big game as they jumped out to an early lead scoring three runs in the 1st inning.

Brooks Cullen led off with a home run over the left field wall. Back-to-back errors put two men on for Tim Merollilo, who delivered with a RBI double off the left field wall to score Donovan Huffer. Matt Kuntz’s ground ball brought home Greyson Schram to make it 3-0.

The Mountain Lions added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. With runners at the corners, a pickoff attempt by West Chester starter Jason Bowman sailed over the first baseman, allowing Cullen to score from third.

However, that was the last offense Concord was able to muster as they were held to just one hit over the final four innings. But West Chester’s offense was just getting started.

The Golden Rams got on the board in the top of the sixth inning when Matt Cotellense blasted a 2-run homer to left field to close the lead to 4-2.

West Chester added another run in the seventh when Kevin McGrath hit a triple to deep center field to score Bob Stumpo. With McGrath on third and no outs, Concord reliever Trey Smith entered the game and retired the next three batters to keep the Mountain Lions in the lead.

But the Golden Rams got on the board again in the 8th as Kyle Bechter hit a RBI double to the gap in left field, and Stumpo followed with a double to the gap in right to score Bechter and give the Golden Rams a 5-4 lead.

The lead was more than enough for Bowman, who settled in after the first inning and allowed only three hits over the next seven innings. For the game, Bowman pitched eight innings, giving up only two earned runs and striking out five.

“Their pitcher did a nice job,” Concord manager Kevin Garrett said. “He settled in and did what he typically does which is throw strikes and let you get yourself out.”

West Chester added two more runs in the 9th to make it 7-4, and reliever Eric Carmichael retired the side in the bottom of the 9th for the save.

“West Chester is a good team,” Garrett said. “We needed to add to our lead at the beginning and we couldn’t.”

Cullen led the Mountain Lions with two hits and two runs. Cotellese paced the Golden Rams offense with four hits, three RBI, and two runs scored.



West Chester.......................................000 002 122 — 7 14 4

Concord...............................................300 010 000 — 4 6 0

Bowman, Carmichael (9) and Wolfe. Schurdell, Smith (7), Bailey (8), Cullen (9) and Moody. W—Bowman; L—Smith; S—Carmichael.