Box Scores
W 10-1
W 12-1

Photo Gallery

EAST STROUDSBURG - No. 12-ranked East Stroudsburg University received impressive pitching performances from redshirt senior Matt Festa and junior Tyler Eckman, sophomore catcher Steven Zimmerman, Jr. hit two home runs in the nightcap and redshirt senior third baseman Drew Hercik set a school record for career games played in a PSAC East doubleheader sweep (10-1, 12-1) vs. Mansfield on Friday at Mitterling Field.

ESU (32-11, 15-7) produced 22 runs, 22 hits and 41 total baserunners in 12.0 innings of work on offense, and Festa and Eckman both took no-hitters into the fourth inning.

Festa (10-0) set a career-high with 11 strikeouts, didn't issue a walk and allowed one run on three hits in becoming the first ESU pitcher to hit the 10-win mark in a season, and the first PSAC pitcher to win each of his first 10 starts in at least 10 years.

Festa was perfect through 4.1 innings, retiring the first 13 he faced, including nine of the first 12 via strikeout. He threw his sixth straight complete game, all against the PSAC East, and followed up his second shutout of the season last weekend vs. Lock Haven with another gem.

Festa lowered his ERA to 1.66 in 65.0 innings with 49 hits allowed, 76 strikeouts (5th in school history) and 18 walks with one regular season start remaining next weekend vs. West Chester.

Eckman allowed just three hits in 6.0 shutout innings, struck out eight and walked two. He didn't surrender a hit until a two-out single in the fourth inning with the Warriors leading, 11-0, and improves to 5-4 with a 2.10 ERA in 10 starts.

Festa and Eckman combined to allow one run on six hits in 13.0 innings, with 19 strikeouts and two walks.

Offensively, eight of the Warriors' nine starters reached base at least three times in the twinbill including six times each by redshirt senior 1B Matt Walewski (2-for-3, walk, 3 HBP, sacrifice fly, 7 RBI, two runs), junior OF Ian Allen (5-for-8, double, HBP, RBI, 4 runs) and Hercik (2-for-3, double, 3 walks, HBP, RBI, 3 runs).

Hercik set an ESU record with 190 games played - starting every game of his career - and breaking the previous games played mark set by shortstop Evan Gallagher (2009-12) and tied by outfielder Chris Knott (2011-14).

Hercik moved into a tie for second at ESU in career RBI (124), one of eight offensive categories in which he ranks in ESU's career top 10.

Zimmerman had his first career multi-home run game, launching his fifth and sixth homers of the season. He hit a grand slam in the first inning and a two-run shot in the second inning to account for six RBI in the nightcap.

Zimmerman's two blasts give ESU 44 home runs this season, tying the school record set in 2009.

The Warriors entered the week with one of the top offenses in NCAA Division II, ranking 10th in runs per game (9.1), third in batting  (.358), first in on-base percentage (.456) and 11th in slugging percentage (.540). ESU hit .415/.547/.623 in Friday's doubleheader.

The two schools will complete the four-game series on Saturday at Mansfield.

GAME 1 - W 10-1

ESU broke open a 1-1 game with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and a seven-spot in the sixth to support Festa, who didn't allow a baserunner until the top of the fifth.

ESU got on the board in the third vs. Mansfield (18-22, 6-16) starter Luke Hils when Allen hit a two-out double, Crookham and Hercik walked and Walewski was hit by a pitch - the first of two bases-loaded HBP drawn by Walewski in the opener.

Mansfield finally got a baserunner in the fifth on a one-out flared single to right field by Tanner Klein. After a strikeout, Ryan Paige hit a two-out double to left-center, scoring Klein from first and tying the game at 1-1.

ESU answered quickly with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Allen had an infield single and stole second, Crookham walked and both advanced on a wild pitch. Hercik was intentionally walked, Hils plunked Walewski again with the bases loaded and sophomore OF Christian Rishel hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.

The Warriors struck for seven runs on eight hits in the sixth with redshirt junior 2B Jay Young and redshirt junior OF Robert Bennie both collecting two hits in the inning. Allen had an RBI single, Walewski lifted a sacrifice fly, Rishel hit a two-RBI double, redshirt junior OF Casey Saverio had an RBI single, Zimmerman had an RBI double and Young had an RBI single in the frame.

Festa struck out two batters each in the first, second and third innings and struck out the side in the fourth. After Mansfield's run in the fifth, he pitched around a one-out HBP in the sixth and an error and a single with two outs in the seventh close the game.

ESU had 13 hits, five walks and three HBP in the opener. Bennie was 3-for-5 with a double and a run and Allen was 4-for-5 with a double, RBI and three runs at the top of the order. Saverio also had two hits and a walk.

GAME 2 - W 12-1

Zimmerman's grand slam - ESU's fourth of the season - was the only hit in a six-run first inning as Mansfield's Alec Covel struggled to find the plate, issuing six walks in the opening frame.

ESU added five more runs in the second to lead 11-0, punctuated by a two-run homer by Zimmerman following an RBI double by Hercik and a two-run single by Walewski earlier in the inning.

The Warriors made it 12-0 in the fifth on an RBI single by Walewski following base hits by Bennie and Allen.

Mansfield got its only run in the seventh as senior Joe DiGiovanni relieved Eckman, pushing across a run on two hits and a walk before a game-ending double play.

Eckman's first hit allowed was a two-out single by Klein in the fourth. Mansfield added two more singles, both with two outs, in the sixth.

ESU's 20 baserunners included nine hits, nine walks and two hit batters. Hercik was 2-for-3 with a double, walk, RBI and two runs in the cleanup spot and Walewski went 2-for-2 with a walk, HBP, four RBI and two runs in the No. 5 hole. Zimmerman was 2-for-3 with his two home runs, six RBI and two runs.

GAME NOTES

* ESU's 32 wins are tied for 2nd-most in school history:
34-18 - 2013
32-11 - 2016
32-22 - 2009
31-19 - 2015

* ESU's production by lineup spot:
R-Jr. OF Robert Bennie - 4-for-9, double, walk, 3 runs, 1-2 SB
Jr. OF Ian Allen - 5-for-8, HBP, double, RBI, 4 runs, 4-4 SB
R-Jr. SS Conner Crookham - 0-for-2, 4 walks, 3 runs
R-Sr. 3B Drew Hercik - 2-for-4, double, 3 walks, HBP, RBI, 3 runs, 1-1 SB
R-Sr. 1B Matt Walewski - 2-for-3, walk, 3 HBP, sac fly, 7 RBI, 2 runs
So. DH Christian Rishel - 1-for-6, double, 2 sac flies, 4 RBI, run
R-Jr. OF Casey Saverio - 2-for-5, 3 walks, RBI, 2 runs, 1-1 SB
So. C Steven Zimmerman, Jr. - 3-for-7, double, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 runs
R-Jr. 2B Jay Young - 3-for-6, walk, RBI, run

* Festa improves to 22-5 in 30 career starts in 3 seasons at ESU, extending his school record for wins (previous record was 19)
* Festa extends his ESU single-season wins record to 10 (previous record was 8-1 - Ryan Lubreski, 2013)
* Festa threw his 6th complete game of the season and the 10th of his career.
* In 6 games vs. the PSAC East this season, Festa is 6-0 with a 1.71 ERA, 30 hits, 47 strikeouts and 13 walks in 42.0 innings.

* Allen's 4 stolen bases give him 30 on the season, 3 from the school record (33 - Zac Menendez, 2012)

* Hercik's 3 walks give him 38 on the season, 4 from the school record (42 - Zac Menendez, 2012)

* Hercik's 2 hits give him 193 in his career, tied for 7th in school history with Kyle Sheaffer (2005-08)