PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia University basetball team was knocked off by visiting West Chester 15-6 in a non-conference game Thursday afternoon on Alumni Field.

Senior center fielder Rick Reigner (Havertown, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) led the Philadelphia (12-18) offense with three hits in three at-bats.

Freshman left fielder Daniel Klusman (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth), senior third baseman Chris Pelaez (Miami, Fla./Sunset), and freshman second baseman David McTaggart (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) all recorded two hits each.

With the game tied at six after five innings of play, West Chester (20-12) broke the game open with four runs in the top of the sixth inning. Robert Knox stepped up with one out and Tyler Coleman on base and delivered a two-run home run to put the Golden Rams in front 8-6. Later in the inning, West Chester tacked on two more runs on a two-out double by Mike Raimo.

West Chester scored five runs on five consecutive in the seventh inning. Knox started the scoring with a double and was followed by RBI hits from Rob Spekhardt, Anthony Salomone, Clay Harwick, and Raimo.

Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the second inning, junior first baseman Robbie Pelaez (Miami, Fla./Sunset) tied the game at two with his first home run, a solo shot, in a Ram uniform.

Behind a RBI base hit from Reigner and a two-run single off the bat of Chris Pelaez Philadelphia jumped out to a 5-3 lead in the fourth.

After West Chester started the fifth with a pair of walks and a balk to put runners on second and third, Spekhardt hit a sacrifice fly to plate Chris Pula. With the bases loaded and one out, Raimo was hit by a pitch to tie the game at five. Justin Roman put West Chester back in front with a sacrifice fly.

Klusman tied the score at six with a two-out RBI single in the home half of the fifth.

Jeff O'Reilly was the winning pitcher (1-0) with five innings of relief. He gave up four runs on six hits and struck out three.

Sophomore Lou Karcanes (Glen Rock, N.J./Glen Rock) took the loss (0-1) as he allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Spekhardt led West Chester with three hits and three RBIs, while Raimo finished with two hits and four RBIs.

West Chester outhit Philadelphia 15-11.

Philadelphia returns to action with a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader against Post on Saturday, April 19 at noon on Alumni Field.