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W. Chester goes for a national title

West Chester's baseball team will play for the school's first national championship at 7 p.m. Saturday against Delta State at the U.S. Baseball Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

West Chester's baseball team will play for the school's first national championship at 7 p.m. Saturday against Delta State at the U.S. Baseball Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

The Golden Rams (45-10) advanced to the Division II championship game by edging Catawba, 2-1, in their semifinals Thursday night on Josh Heyne's walk-off sacrifice fly. With the win, West Chester ran its winning streak to 11 games.

West Chester started its run by beating Chico State, 4-0, last Saturday in the opening round and then topping Southern New Hampshire, 13-7, in the second round.

West Chester will start sophomore righthander Joe Gunkel (9-2) in the championship game. He took a no-hitter into the ninth inning in the Rams' series-opening victory over Chico State. He tossed a one-hitter against the Wildcats.

West Chester's appearance in the final marks the second time that a Pennsylvania State Athtletic Conference school has reached the NCAA Division II national title game. In 1992, Mansfield lost to the University of Tampa.

TRACK AND FIELD: Penn announced Friday that it has hired Robin Martin to coach the men's track and field team. Martin has been serving as the interim coach since former coach Charlie Powell's retirement in December.

During Martin's interim stint, sophomore Maalik Reynolds defended his Heptagonal championships in the indoor and outdoor high jump and earned all-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Reynolds will be at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this weekend. He was joined last weekend at the NCAA First Round by teammates Brian Fulton (800 meters), Ryan Cunningham (1,500 meters), and Jake Brenza (shot put).

A former member of Penn's squad, Martin was a two-time all-American and 11-time Ivy League champion from 1996 to 2000. Martin holds the school record in the indoor 500 meters.

Martin called the appointment an honor.

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