Kutztown Box Score
Apprentice Box Score
HAMPTON, Va. - East Stroudsburg University used a two-out, ninth inning rally to force extra innings, then came from behind in both of the extra frames before senior Kyle Sheaffer singled in the winning run in the 11th inning to give the Warriors a 9-8 win over the Apprentice School in ESU's final game of the Builder Invitational on Sunday.
No. 25 Kutztown beat ESU 10-1 in the first game on Sunday morning behind a strong outing from Darin Gorski and the bats of Mike Kacelowicz and Chad Lightcap, who combined to go 7-for-10 with five RBI.
Apprentice led 3-1 through six innings before things picked up in the seventh. The Builders pushed their lead to 5-1 on a two-run single by J.D. Drewry, but ESU got both runs back on a two-out, bases loaded double by Brendan O'Malley that scored Mike Bortz and John Pisker.
The Builders put runners on second and third with nobody out in the top of the ninth, but Steve Prazenka pitched out of the jam to keep the score 5-3. O'Malley started the Warriors' rally with a two-out single, and Sheaffer had an RBI double and scored on a single by Chris Zsenak to tie the game at 5-5.
Both teams scored their runner from second using the international tiebreaker in the 10th. Apprentice scored twice in the 11th and ESU trailed 8-6 going into the bottom of the inning.
Bortz had the key hit with a two-run single that tied the score at 8-8 and stole second to put the winning run in scoring position, but was injured on the play and pitcher Dave Boyer was inserted as the pinch runner. Sheaffer singled to right and Boyer fell coming down the third baseline, but the throw got past the catcher and Boyer scrambled to touch the plate to score the winning run.
Starter Jeremy Gigliotti (5.0 IP) and Prazenka (5.2 IP) both allowed two earned runs, and Christian Saveri got the win after recording the final out of the 11th. Bill Hezel got the start against Kutztown, and Tom Admire and Mike Walker both saw time on the mound as well.
ESU's pitchers posted a 3.29 ERA over the four games in Virginia, led by Boyer's seven inning, eight strikeout performance in an 11-2 win vs. Bloomsburg in the first game on Saturday.
O'Malley was 5-for-15 at the plate with five RBI to spark the offense, and Zsenak had five hits in his eight at bats.
The Warriors are schedule to play at Lafayette on Wednesday, March 5 before heading to Fort Myers, Fla. for the Gene Cusick Classic over spring break, March 8-15.
