Box Scores
Game 1 - L 5-1
Game 2 - W 5-1

CARY, N.C. - Junior Matt Smith threw 4.1 shutout innings in his debut for East Stroudsburg University as the Warriors split their season-opening baseball doubleheader at Saint Augustine's on Saturday at the USA Baseball Complex in North Carolina.

ESU won the second game, 5-1, after falling 5-1 in the first game. Smith didn't allow a hit until there was one out in the fourth inning and allowed three hits, struck out four and walked one.

Junior Colin Taylor entered to get a double-play ball to get out of the fifth inning with a 2-0 lead and threw a 1-2-3 sixth. Junior Keenan Stare struck out the side around a two-out error and a hit that plated Saint Augustine's only run in the seventh.

Senior 2B Joe Bennie, a Stroudsburg native and transfer from La Salle, went 4-for-8 in the doubleheader. He was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, RBI and two runs in the game 2 victory. Redshirt freshman 3B Drew Hercik, a transfer from Delaware, was 3-for-5 for the day and 2-for-2 with a sacrifice fly in the second game.

The Warriors scored twice in the first inning to open the nightcap. Redshirt sophomore OF Andy Brandstetter singled and scored on a triple by Bennie, who came home on a sacrifice fly by senior OF Eric Boyer for a 2-0 lead.

Smith and Taylor made the lead stand up until the sixth, when ESU pushed another run across. Junior C Eric Forth was hit by a pitch with one out, moved to third on an error by the pitcher and scored on a sacrifice fly by Hercik.

ESU added two more in the top of the seventh to make it 5-0. Bennie hit a one-out double, senior 1B/P Brian Ernst reached on an error by the third baseman and junior 1B Mike Tenaglia walked to load the bases. Bennie scored on a passed ball and junior OF Chris Knott picked up an RBI single to score Ernst.

In the opener, Saint Augustine's scored three runs on one hit in the first inning, and another run in the second, for a quick 4-0 lead off Ernst, who gave up two hits, struck out one and walked four.

Junior Ryan Lubreski, a transfer from Massachusetts, threw 3.2 innings of one-hit relief with three strikeouts. Junior Keith Moyer gave up a unearned run and struck out one in the seventh.

ESU scored its run in the sixth when Tenaglia drew a one-out walk, Knott was hit by a pitch and Tenaglia scored on an error.

Brock Holmes threw a complete game victory for Saint Augustine's (3-3), giving up four hits and an unearned run. John Hailey also went the distance in the second game, allowing all five runs (two earned) on eight hits.

Tenaglia, a two-time NJCAA All-America at Northampton CC, was 1-for-4 with three walks in his ESU debut. Eight of the Warriors' 12 hits came from players in their first year in the program.

The Warriors and Falcons will play the third and final game of the series on Sunday at 12 p.m.