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

Friday recap

LOCK HAVEN - No. 14-ranked East Stroudsburg University used stellar pitching performances and timely hitting to post a doubleheader sweep at Lock Haven (6-2, 4-1 [8 inn.]), capturing this weekend's series 3-1 and recording the fourth 30-win season in program history, in PSAC East baseball on Saturday.

Redshirt senior Cody Klinger (4.1 IP, 2 runs) and junior Ben Bortz (2.2 IP, 0 hits) did the mound work in the opener as the Warriors rallied for five runs in the final two innings, and senior Brandon Holup (7.0 IP) and redshirt sophomore left-hander Dan Woodley (1.0 IP save) handled the nightcap as the offense awoke for three runs in the top of the eighth.

ESU (30-10, 13-7) gains another key PSAC East series win after splitting Friday's doubleheader at Mitterling Field. The Warriors won the opening game of the series, 4-0, as redshirt senior Matt Festa threw a four-hitter and set ESU's single-season wins record (9-0). LHU won the second game Friday, 3-1, despite a complete game from junior Tyler Eckman.

The Warriors' staff held Lock Haven (17-22, 6-14) to six runs and a .229 batting average (24-for-105) in the four-game series, posting 29 strikeouts and just six walks in 29.0 innings.

Redshirt junior 2B Jay Young lifted the Warriors in the opener, going 2-for-2 with a walk, hit by pitch and three RBI, including the game-tying RBI single in the sixth inning.

In the nightcap, Zach Manuppelli limited ESU to six hits through seven innings, before the Warriors cracked five hits in the eighth - including the go-ahead RBI triple by junior OF Ian Allen, who was 1-for-13 in the series before driving in redshirt junior OF Robert Bennie as part of the three-run inning.

ESU has its fourth 30-win season in the last seven years, also hitting the mark in 2009 (32-22), 2013 (34-18 - PSAC champions) and 2015 (31-19 - PSAC runner-up).

The Warriors entered the week ranked No. 2 in the NCBWA DII Atlantic Region poll and No. 14 in the national poll.

GAME 1 - W 6-2

ESU trailed 2-1 going to the top of the sixth before scoring two in the sixth and three in the seventh, while Bortz (3-1) delivered eight clutch outs in relief.

LHU scored both of its runs in the bottom of the first before Klinger got out of the inning, and the Warriors pulled one back in the top of the second as redshirt senior 1B Matt Walewski doubled and scored on a two-out RBI single by Young.

Both teams left a pair of runners in the third, and the Warriors left the bases loaded in the fourth with a chance to tie or take the lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, LHU threatened with a hit batter and a single, but Bortz entered to get the final two outs with a pair of strikeouts and keep the deficit at 2-1.

The Warriors finally struck in the top of the sixth, starting with redshirt junior OF Casey Saverio reaching on catcher's interference. Sophomore catcher Steven Zimmerman, Jr. singled, Young had the game-tying RBI single to plate pinch-runner Aden Tully and Bennie had the go-ahead RBI single for a 3-2 lead.

Bortz pitched around a two-out HBP in the bottom of the sixth, and ESU added extended its lead to 6-2 in the seventh on a single (Walewski), hit batter (senior Brett Bonn), fielders choice (Zimmerman), walk (Young), sacrifice fly (Bennie) and double steal, with Zimmerman scoring on the play.

Klinger threw 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Bortz threw 2.2 scoreless innings, facing just nine batters, struck out three, didn't surrender a hit and hit one batter.

Jacob Belinda (5.0 IP, 1 run, 3 hits, 7 strikeouts, 5 walks, 3 HBP) had an effective start for Lock Haven, but was lifted for reliever Brett Morrison (1.0 IP, 2 runs, 1 earned, 3 hits) to start the sixth. Nick Hornbaker (1.0 IP, 3 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 HBP) pitched the seventh.

ESU had seven hits with Young (2-for-2, walk, HBP, three RBI) and Walewski (2-for-3, double, walk, two runs) leading the offense.

GAME 2 - W 4-1 (8 inn.)

ESU's offense, ranked in the top 10 in DII in scoring, pulled through with three runs in the top of the eighth inning to support Holup, who improves to 5-1 on the season and won his second straight start.

The Warriors got on the board after their first three batters in the first inning as Allen singled, moved to second on an error and scored on an RBI double by redshirt junior SS Conner Crookham for a 1-0 lead.

That was all the ESU offense until the eighth, but it held up as LHU managed just a fourth-inning run off Holup (7.0 IP, 1 run, 9 hits, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk).

The Bald Eagles left runners on second and third after tying the game in the fourth, and Holup threw 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and sixth and yielded just a two-out single in the seventh before forcing extra innings with a strikeout.

In the eighth, Bennie led off with an infield single followed by Allen's RBI triple to right-center. Crookham had an RBI single, Walewski belted a one-out single and Saverio had a two-out RBI single to push the advantage to 4-1.

Holup allowed a walk and a single to start the bottom of the eighth, bringing on Woodley, who faced just two hitters - a strikeout vs. cleanup hitter Ethan Moore and a double play by Daulton Brenize - to seal the victory with his second save of the season and the third of his career.

Manuppelli went 7.1 innings (4 runs, 3 earned, 10 hits, 3 strikeouts) for Lock Haven.

Allen was 2-for-4 with a triple, RBI and two runs, Crookham was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run and sophomore OF Christian Rishel was 2-for-4 for the Warriors' offense.


GAME NOTES
* ESU entered the week ranked 7th in DII in runs per game (9.5), 3rd in batting (.358), 2nd in on-base percentage (.462) and 7th in slugging percentage (.544).

* ESU's record at the time of its 30th win:
2009 - 30-20 (finished 32-22)
2013 - 30-16 (finished 34-18)
2015 - 30-17 (finished 31-19)
2016 - 30-10

* ESU hit .270 (30-for-111) in the series with Young (5-for-11, walk, HBP, 3 RBI) and Walewski (5-for-12, 2 doubles, 2 walks, 3 runs) both collecting 5 hits.

* Young is ESU's top hitter in its 20 PSAC East games, batting .433 (26-for-60) with a .477 on-base percentage, 2 doubles, 14 RBI and 11 runs.
* Bennie is hitting .394 (28-for-71) with a .443 on-base percentage, 3 doubles, 3 HR, 23 RBI and 15 runs in divisional games.

* ESU's staff limited LHU to a .229/.289/.295 line in the four-game series.

* Allen moved into 2nd at ESU in stolen bases in a season (25). The record (33) was set by Zac Menendez in 2012.
* Allen ranks 4th in career stolen bases (56).