After 10 minutes Friday afternoon at Serpico Stadium, it looked like West Chester might finally be in trouble.
Then the Golden Rams reminded everyone why they entered the NCAA Tournament as one of the most dangerous offenses in Division II baseball.
West Chester erased a four-run first-inning deficit almost immediately and never looked back, pounding out 22 runs in a 22-7 demolition of East Stroudsburg to move within one win of a return trip to the Super Regionals.
The defining swing came before many in attendance had even settled into their seats.
After East Stroudsburg jumped ahead 4-0 in the top of the first, West Chester answered with one of those innings that completely changes the feel of a postseason game. Three straight walks loaded the bases before Tanner Donati turned on a pitch and launched a grand slam down the right-field line, instantly flipping panic into momentum and giving the Golden Rams a lead they would never surrender.
From there, the lineup just kept coming.
West Chester scored in seven of eight innings and overwhelmed East Stroudsburg’s pitching staff with relentless pressure, patient at-bats, and extra-base damage throughout the afternoon. Caleb Strawhecker drove in five runs as part of a three-hit performance, Carter Rust added three RBIs, and Patrick Gozdan somehow scored six times despite recording only one hit thanks to four walks and constant traffic on the bases.
The game effectively broke open during a six-run third inning. Christian Michak delivered a two-run single before Strawhecker ripped a bases-clearing double that pushed the advantage to 12-5 and removed whatever suspense remained.
That offensive explosion overshadowed an important recovery on the mound from Kyle Lazer.
After laboring through a chaotic opening inning in which East Stroudsburg scored four runs, Lazer steadied himself and gave West Chester exactly what it needed: length. The veteran right-hander worked into the seventh inning, allowing seven runs — six earned — while striking out six over 121 pitches to earn his seventh victory of the season.
And that might have been one of the most significant developments of the day for the Golden Rams.
Because once the offense detonated, Lazer’s ability to settle in preserved the bullpen and allowed West Chester to stay fully positioned for Saturday’s regional final matchup — once again against East Stroudsburg.
One more win and the Golden Rams advance.
West Chester is now 2-0 in the regional round for the first time since 2017. The last two times West Chester opened a regional with consecutive victories, it went on to win the national championship.
Recent Philly | Phillies Baseball News | Philadelphia Baseball Review
- West Chester erupts for 22 runs to overpower East Stroudsburg in NCAA Regional (May 15)
- Kyle Schwarber’s latest blast powers Phillies past Red Sox as surge under Don Mattingly continues (May 14)
- West Chester erupts for 11-run inning, rolls past Bloomsburg in NCAA Regional opener (May 14)
- Andrew Painter rebounds, but Phillies offense disappears in 3-1 loss to Red Sox (May 14)
- West Chester opens NCAA Regional play with eyes on another deep postseason run (May 13)
- DeSales to host NCAA Regional behind Philly-area core and first-year coach Bryan Torresani (May 13)
- Schwarber ties Phillies home run streak record as Wheeler dominates in win over Red Sox (May 13)
- Kyle Schwarber ties Phillies franchise record with home run in fifth straight game (May 12)
- Phillies legends, Hall of Famers headline Capital One All-Star Village during MLB All-Star Week in Philadelphia (May 12)
- Brandon Marsh’s rise from question mark to MLB batting leader is fueling Phillies’ turnaround (May 11)
- Schwarber stays red-hot as Phillies continue surge under Mattingly; blank Rockies in series finale (May 10)
- Alec Bohm breaks out in a big way with two homers as Phillies roll past Rockies (May 9)
- Jesus Luzardo stumbles, Justin Crawford delivers first career homer, Phillies fall to Rockies in 11 innings (May 8)
- Alec Bohm’s struggles reach critical point as Phillies push for mental reset (May 8)
- Widener returns to MAC Commonwealth championship series with Messiah standing in the way (May 8)
- Jefferson’s turbulent season ends in heartbreak with pair of crushing CACC tournament losses (May 8)
- Andrew Painter rocked early as Athletics crush Phillies at Citizens Bank Park (May 7)
- Immaculata faces elimination after Atlantic East tournament loss to Marymount (May 7)
- West Chester erupts for eight-run inning, rolls in PSAC tournament opener (May 7)
- Phillies rally late behind Zack Wheeler’s return to beat Athletics, win fourth straight (May 7)
- When Philadelphia was a two-team baseball city: The Phillies, Athletics, and a lost baseball identity (May 6)
- Cristopher Sánchez dominates as Bryce Harper powers Phillies past A’s (May 5)
- Primrose, Fehrman lead Saint Joseph’s to historic Atlantic 10 title week (May 5)
- Harper delivers, Nola responds as Phillies win tight one in Miami (May 4)
- Saint Joseph’s clinches Atlantic 10 regular season title as Blake Primrose’s record day powers 14-9 win (May 3)
- Phillies erupt for six in first as Bryson Stott, Jesús Luzardo lead rout of Marlins (May 3)
- Phillies shut out by Marlins as Max Meyer dominates in 4-0 loss (May 2)
- Fehrman dominates with 13 Ks as Saint Joseph’s blanks St. Bonaventure (May 2)
- Penn sweeps Brown, awaits Ivy League title fate (May 2)
- Jefferson erupts late to eliminate Chestnut Hill, advance in CACC tournament (May 2)
- Ursinus eyeing first ever Centennial Conference title after dominant Saturday sweep (May 2)
- Wheeler sharp, Phillies survive late chaos to extend win streak (May 1)
- Saint Joseph’s clinches A-10 berth, holds off 8-run rally to edge St. Bonaventure (May 1)
- Penn State Brandywine’s season ends as Keystone rallies late to complete sweep in United East tournament (May 1)
- Widener rallies late, holds off Hood to take Game 1 in MAC Commonwealth best--of-three semifinal (May 1)
- Arcadia opens MAC Freedom semifinals with win, uses late surge to hold off Misericordia (May 1)
- CACC Tournament: Holy Family’s season ends after late collapse as Goldey-Beacom completes sweep (May 1)
- CACC Tournament: Jefferson responds, forces winner-take-all after Chestnut Hill takes opener (May 1)
- Phillies News from the Philadelphia Baseball Review
Support the Mission. Fuel the Movement.
You’re not just funding journalism — you’re backing the future of youth baseball in Philly.
👉 Join us on Patreon »
