SCHEDULE UPDATES: Tuesday at West Chester (2 p.m.), Wednesday vs. Shippensburg (2 p.m.)

Box Scores
Game 1 - W 7-4
Game 2 - L 7-6 (8 inn.)

SHIPPENSBURG – Redshirt senior catcher Nico Delerme was 2-for-3 with a double, home run and three RBI to lead East Stroudsburg University to a 7-4 win in game 1, before No. 11-ranked Shippensburg rallied for a 7-6 (8 inn.) win in the nightcap and a doubleheader split in PSAC East baseball on Monday.

ESU (16-7, 2-4) entered the week ranked No. 3 in the NCBWA Atlantic Region poll, with Shippensburg (17-4, 4-2) ranked No. 1 in the region.

The two schools will meet again on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at ESU's Mitterling Field. ESU is at West Chester on Tuesday at 2 p.m., while Shippensburg hosts Bloomsburg.

Monday's doubleheader was the start of a busy stretch for both teams, with five doubleheaders scheduled over the next six days. ESU faces Lock Haven in a four-game series next weekend, hosting the Bald Eagles on Friday.

Senior right-hander Ryan Lubreski threw 6.0 strong innings in the opener to improve to 4-1, while Delerme headlined the offense. He hit an RBI double in the first inning, a sacrifice fly in the third and the go-ahead home run to lead off the sixth, after Shippensburg tied it at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth.

Game two was tied 2-2 through five innings before both teams had multiple big innings. ESU took a 4-2 lead in the sixth before Shippensburg tied the game at 4-4 with two runs in the seventh. Sophomore catcher Ryan Richards hit a pinch-hit, go-ahead single in the top of the eighth, but Shippensburg won it with three runs in the bottom half, all with two outs.

Senior OF Chris Knott set his fourth school record in two weeks, setting a new mark for career total bases with 299. He surpasses the record of 297 shared by Jacob DeBoer (2004-07) and Ryan Hatfield (2000-03). He also holds career records for RBI (130), extra-base hits (72) and triples (16), with multiple offensive records still within reach.

Knott and Delerme were second and third in the PSAC in batting average entering the week. Knott is hitting .443 with a PSAC-high 16 extra-base hits and 28 RBI, with Delerme batting .439 with 6 doubles, 4 home runs and 28 RBI. Both have an on-base percentage over .500.

Game 1 – W 7-4

Delerme's fourth home run of the season, a blast to right-center field, broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the sixth inning after Shippensburg scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth.

The Warriors added three more runs in the seventh off Shippensburg reliever Josh Kutchey. Senior SS Eric Linares hit his first career triple and scored on an RBI single by sophomore 2B Nick Rabasco (2-for-3, RBI, 3 runs). Redshirt sophomore 3B Drew Hercik plated Rabasco with an RBI double, then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.

Senior Keenan Stare relieved Lubreski in the seventh, and Shippensburg scored one run to cut it to 7-4 before Stare got a fly ball and a ground ball to end it.

Rabasco, Hercik and Delerme all had two hits each as ESU's top four hitters combined to go 7-for-15 with six RBI and six runs.

Delerme doubled to scored Rabasco in the first inning, and Knott had an RBI single and Delerme lifted a sacrifice fly to put ESU ahead 3-1 in the third.

Lubreski, an NCBWA preseason All-Region first team selection, improves to 12-2 in 19 career starts for the Warriors. He is 4-1 with a 4.80 ERA in 30.0 innings this season.

Game 2 – L 7-6 (8 inn.)

Shippensburg had to rally from a two-run deficit in both of the last two innings to get the split.

Cody Ezolt hit two home runs, a two-run shot in the second and a two-run, two-out, two-strike homer in the eighth to tie the game at 6-6. A bunt single by Austin Allison, passed ball and RBI single by Ryan McMillen scored the winning run.

ESU scored in the first on an RBI single by Delerme, and freshman OF Ian Allen hit a one-out double and scored on a passed ball in the fifth to tie the game at 2-2.

The Warriors took a 4-2 lead in the sixth with back-to-back doubles by Rabasco and Knott, who moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior catcher Eric Forth.

Shippensburg tied it in the bottom of the seventh. Ezolt hit a leadoff double and scored on a single by Allison, then Mike Marcinko hit a two-out single to plate Allison and advanced to third on an error.

Redshirt sophomore Matt Festa (7.0 IP, 7 hits, 4 runs, 9 strikeouts, 0 walks) struck out Jimmy Spanos with the winning run on third to send the game to extra innings tied at 4-4.

The Warriors scored two in the top of the eighth as Forth hit a one-out double, Hercik walked and Richards hit an RBI single to center, bringing home Forth with Hercik scoring on an error by the center fielder.

However, Shippensburg scored three with Stare on in relief in the eighth, starting with a leadoff single by Pat Kregeloh, followed by Ezolt's two-out homer.

Kregeloh went 7.0 innings on the mound for Shippensburg (7 hits, 4 runs, 2 earned) before Austin Bartley came on in relief. He allowed two runs (one earned) in the eighth, but was the winning pitcher.



NCBWA Division II Atlantic Region poll
1. Shippensburg (14) – 16-3, 140 points, #1
2. Millersville – 16-7, 123, #2
3. ESU – 15-6, 106, #3
4. Mercyhurst – 15-5, 100, #4
5. Seton Hill – 16-9, 78, #5
6. Winston-Salem – 22-11, 57, #7
7. Concord – 18-10, 49, #6
8. Slippery Rock – 14-8, 42, #t-10
9. Shepherd – 18-7, 37, #t-10
10. Kutztown – 11-6, 29, #t-8

Dropped out: #t-8 West Chester

Also receiving votes: WV State (14-8) 3 points; Bloomsburg (12-8) 2; Urbana (9-5) 2; West Chester (10-6) 2