Late Rally Falls in Extra Innings as Baseball Drops Bill Giles Invitational
PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Thomas Jefferson University baseball team (20-11) got the game evened in the bottom of the eighth inning and had the bases loaded with no outs in the ninth to take the lead. The Golden Rams held on, getting three Rams out at bat and making the game go to extra innings. West Chester University (25-5) put up five runs in the 10th and held on from there as Jefferson fell to the Golden Rams 9-5 in the Bill Giles Invitational Championship game at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday.
WHAT HAPPENED
Jefferson got out early in the lead with back-to-back homeruns by Josh Lopez and Marquise Wood, putting the game at 2-0 in the bottom of the first. West Chester responded with a two-run homerun in the second inning, tying the game.
With a scoreless third and fourth inning by both teams, West Chester tacked on two more runs by way of a single up the middle. The Rams looked to get their revenge from last year's title loss to the Golden Rams, putting a run on the board in the bottom of the sixth from a Gabe Silva sacrifice fly to right field. The Rams had an opportunity to get more runs with a runner on first and second base, but a Golden Rams pickoff ended the seventh inning for Jefferson.
After getting West Chester out early in the eighth, Joshua Lopez delivered a double right down the left life to set up a potential tying run for Jefferson. Matt Vita got the score on the board with a single bunt up the middle that allowed Joshu. Lopez to score and even the game out at 4-4. The Rams held off West Chester in the ninth, including a fouled out to left field by Alex Gonzalez, to get a chance at bat in the bottom of the inning.
Chris McLean nailed a triple to the right field for the potential game-tying run right near homeplate. After getting the bases loaded with two intentional walks, Jefferson was not able to get the go ahead score with West Chester getting a fly out to left field and strike outs to add extra innings at Citizens Bank Park.
The Golden Rams got their rhythm going with five runs in the top of the 10th inning. Jefferson was able to respond with one run, but unable to comeback as the Rams fell 9-5 to the Golden Rams.
QUICK HITS
Josh Lopez: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Marquise Wood: 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Matt Vita: 1-for-3, 1 RBI
Gabe Silva: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 SO
Albert Bobadilla: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 SO
UP NEXT
Jefferson will rest for a few days before returning to Alumni Field when the Rams take on Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) opponent Caldwell University on Sunday, April 14. The first pitch to be thrown at noon.
