Box Scores
Game 1 - L 5-3
Game 2 - L 9-7 (10 inn.)

MILLERSVILLE – East Stroudsburg University tried to battle back from four-run deficits in both games and forced extra innings in the nightcap, but Millersville took the first half of this weekend's PSAC East set, 5-3 and 9-7 (10 inn.), at Cooper Park on Friday.

ESU (12-5, 0-2), the defending PSAC champions for the first time since 1971, scored two runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings to extend the second game beyond regulation, before Tyler Orris hit the go-ahead single in the 10th inning for Millersville (13-6, 2-0).

The second half of the series will also be played at Millersville on Saturday at 1 p.m.

ESU senior outfielder Chris Knott, a preseason All-America selection, set a school record with 67 career extra base hits, belting a double in both games. He also moved within one RBI of the career record, entering Saturday with 123 in his four years, including 21 in 17 games this year.

Knott set ESU's career triples record (15) on Tuesday and has 38 doubles (5th – 6 from the school record) and 14 home runs (t-5th – 3 from the school record). His 283 total bases are 16 from the current standard of 297, shared by Jacob DeBoer and Ryan Hatfield.

He broke the career extra-base hits mark of 66 set by Kevin Thompson (2005-09). Thompson also holds the career RBI record with 124.

ESU was ranked No. 2 and Millersville No. 3 in this week's NCBWA Atlantic Region poll.

Game 1

Millersville's Chris Murphy, the reigning Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year, extended his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 24.2 before ESU ended it on a two-out RBI single by freshman OF Ian Allen in the second inning.

The Marauders took a 5-1 lead with four runs in the third, including a two-run double by Dan Johnson (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs).

ESU cut it to 5-2 in the sixth when Knott hit a two-out double and scored on an RBI single by senior 1B Mike Tenaglia. The Warriors made it 5-3 in the seventh on a two-out RBI single by sophomore 2B Nick Rabasco, and got the tying run to the plate before redshirt sophomore 3B Drew Hercik lined out to reliever Adam Zipko to end it.

Senior Ryan Lubreski fell to 3-1 on the season and 11-2 in his two years at ESU, going 5.0 innings and yielding five runs (four earned) on eight hits. Junior Andrew Furber and redshirt junior left-hander Max Mueller both threw a scoreless inning in relief.

Murphy (5-1) went 6.2 innings for Millersville, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts and one walk. Zipko retired the only batter he faced for his fifth save.

Rabasco and Allen had two hits each for ESU.

Game 2

ESU struck first on a sacrifice fly by Knott in the first inning, but Millersville scored four in the second on two-run singles by Kurt Seiders and Chas McCormick.

It was 5-1 after the top of the fifth when Zach Stone, last year's PSAC East Player of the Year, hit a leadoff homer, but ESU came back over the next two innings.

In the fifth, senior SS Eric Linares (3-for-4, RBI, run) and junior OF Nick Espino hit leadoff singles and Knott followed with a two-run double to get the Warriors within 5-3.

Senior C Eric Forth walked to start the sixth, then scored without a hit, advancing on a passed ball and two wild pitches to make it 5-4. Hercik drew a walk and scored on an RBI single by Linares to tie the game at 5-5.

In the eighth, Millersville scored twice in the top half before ESU came back again. Hercik (HBP) and Allen (single) gave the Warriors leadoff base runners, Linares laid down a sacrifice bunt and Espino came through with a  one-out, two-RBI single before Millersville got out of it with runners on second and third.

Millersville stranded two runners with nobody out in the top of the ninth, and ESU went down in order in the bottom half.

Millersville plated the go-ahead and insurance runs in the 10th as Mark Stuckey walked, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Orris. McCormick, who reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt, later scored on a throwing error on a steal.

Zipko threw the final 5.0 innings for Millersville, allowing two runs in the sixth and five hits overall. He relieved freshman Brandon Miller (4.0 IP, 3 runs) and reliever Matt Binder (1.0 IP, 2 runs).

ESU redshirt sophomore Matt Festa made his first conference start, going 6.0 innings and allowing five runs on 10 hits. Senior Colin Taylor got one out, followed by senior Keenan Stare (3.1 IP, 4 runs, 2 earned) and freshman Dan Woodley, who struck out the only batter he faced.

ESU had 10 hits, getting three from Linares in the No. 9 spot and two each from Espino and Rabasco at the top of the order.

Millersville had 17 hits, led by four-hit games by McCormick and Johnson.