PHILADELPHIA – The Thomas Jefferson University baseball team (8-9) was bested by 23^rd-ranked West Chester, 13-5, in the semifinals of the Bill Giles Invitational on Thursday.
 
GAMEPLAY
The Golden Rams took advantage of control issues by the Jefferson hurler early on, scoring six runs over the first two innings. Only one of the six runs came across on a West Chester hit. The Golden Rams added another run in the third on an RBI single to make it 7-0.
 
The Rams got on the board in the bottom of the fourth via a two-out RBI single by Vince Barone. However, West Chester restored a seven-run cushion with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. The Golden Rams tacked on a pair in the seventh on an error and a wild pitch before hitting a two-run homer in the eighth.
 
Jefferson rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Coyle recorded an RBI single and Ryan Sawyer doubled in two runs before scampering home on a wild pitch. West Chester had the final run of the day, scoring on an error in the ninth.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Alex Gonzalez: 2-for-5
- Efrain Santiago: 1-for-4, SB, R
- Ryan Coyle: 1-for-2, RBI
- Arturo Figueroa: 2 R, SB
- Ryan Sawyer: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
- Vince Barone: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB
 
NOTES
- West Chester advances to the Bill Giles Invitational Championship on Tuesday, April 19 at Citizens Bank Park. The Golden Rams will take on the winner of the other semifinal game between USciences and Wilmington (Del.).
- The Bill Giles Invitational was introduced in 2001 in partnership with the Philadelphia Phillies. West Chester University, University of the Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University (Del.) compete in the annual tournament.
 
UP NEXT
The Rams resume conference play with a doubleheader at Dominican (N.Y.) on Friday, March 25 starting at 4 p.m.