Joe Kaleck is hitting .358 this season and was named PSAC Tournament MVP. | PHOTO: West Chester Athletics

Following their ninth PSAC Championship and first since 2016, No. 7/8 West Chester (43-7) is set to begin the 2024 NCAA Tournament as the top seed in the Atlantic Region for the second time in three years. Earlier this season, the team set a program record with a 21-game winning streak and currently rides a 10-game winning streak into the tournament.

 

The Golden Rams will play the second game on Thursday afternoon at Serpico Stadium, facing the loser of the Charleston/IUP game from earlier in the day. A victory in their opener will eliminate the Charleston/IUP loser, while a loss will necessitate a two-game day on Friday and another game on Saturday. In this case, West Chester would need to win on Friday against the Charleston/IUP winner to advance to Saturday's game against the winner of another elimination game played on Friday afternoon. 

 

West Chester holds a 10-1 all-time record against IUP and is on a seven-game winning streak against them, with their last loss in March 2007. They are 3-0 against IUP in tournament play, including a win in the 2017 PSAC Tournament and two victories in the 2023 PSAC Tournament.

 

Their history with Charleston is more limited, having played only four times, with West Chester leading the series 3-1. This includes a 17-5 win earlier this season and a 5-1 victory in last year’s NCAA Tournament at Millersville. 

 

Anthony Boccio, PSAC East and NCBWA Atlantic Region Player of the Year, has been instrumental in West Chester's success, entering the PSAC Tournament with a team-best .412 batting average and a .565 on-base percentage, fourth best in Division II. Boccio, a graduate transfer from Division III Widener, has 61 hits, including 18 extra-base hits, and has scored a team-best 59 runs while driving in 48. 

 

Joe Kaleck, the PSAC Tournament MVP, has also been a key player, scoring 59 runs and batting .358 with 22 extra-base hits and 46 RBIs. Kaleck had an outstanding PSAC Tournament, batting .444, including a 5-for-6 performance in the championship game. 

 

Avery Spencer, a newcomer from Division I Radford, leads the team with 47 RBIs and a .348 batting average, with a .478 on-base percentage. Evan Profy holds the second-best batting average on the team at .367, while Sean Szestowicki is close behind at .361 with a 1.072 OPS. 

 

On the mound, Julian Costa has been outstanding boasting an 8-2 record with a 3.36 ERA. Costa has struck out 68 batters and held opponents to a .257 batting average. He had an impressive NCAA Tournament debut last year, earning a victory against Charleston with a six-inning effort and 10 strikeouts. 

 

Joe Sperone and Nick Noga have also been strong contributors in the starting rotation, both entering the NCAA Tournament with 6-1 records and ERAs of 3.75 and 3.81, respectively.