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Baseball Spotlight:
Devils Suffer Tough Loss in Championship Game of Giles Tournament

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

By Bob Heller
USIP Sports Information Director

West Chester University scored with one out in the bottom of the ninth breaking a 2-2 tie to defeat the USP men's baseball team 3-2 in the championship game of the Bill Giles Division II Invitational last night.

The game marked the first collegiate game to be played in Citizen's Bank Park the new home of the Philadelphia Phillies. USP had advanced to the game with a 6-5 win over Philadelphia University last Thursday.

West Chester's Brett Wallace singled to start the ninth and moved to second on a sacrifice by Ryan Flynn. The Golden Ram's Mike LaRosa then delivered a single of losing pitcher Dan Fox (So., Harriton HS/Narberth, PA) to score Wallace from second with the winning run.

The Devils got their two runs early in the game, scoring once in the first inning and again in the second. After a 90 minute rain delay, the game finally got under way with the Devils batting first as the visiting team. Nick Condo (Monsignor Bonner HS/Collingdale, PA) struck out to open the game and Corey Hider (Lake Charles-Boston HS/Lake Charles, LA) followed with an infield single. Hider then stole second. After Eric Woerheide (Oak Forest HS/Midlothian, IL) flied out to center field, starting pitcher Justin DeVincenzo (Fr., Bishop Hoban HS/Plains, PA) delivered a single to score Hider and give USP an early 1-0 lead.

After West Chester tied the score in the bottom of the first, the Devils retook the lead in their next at-bat. Doug Smith (Middletown HS/ Middletown, PA) walked to lead off the inning. Matt Batko (Mark T. Sheehan HS/Wallingford, CT) sacrificed Smith to second. After Rich Cipoletti (Fr., Half Hollow Hills HS West/Dix Hills, NY) flied out, Condo doubled down the left field line to score Smith and put the Devils up 2-1.

The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the seventh when West Chester's Wallace barreled over USP catcher Batko, knocking the ball loose following a one-hop throw from rightfielder Ronny Sanchez (St. Peter's Prep HS/Union City, NJ) who had caught LaRosa's fly ball, tying the game at 2-2.

The Devils drop to 10-25 with the loss. USP has two conference doubleheaders remaining on their schedule. The Devils will travel to Riverfront Stadium in Newark, New Jersey to take on the playoff bound New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Highlanders on Saturday May 1st. USP will conclude their season on Sunday taking on the always-tough Dominican College Chargers on Sunday at Richie Ashburn Field, starting at 1 p.m.

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