Box Scores
W 5-3
L 5-4

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MANSFIELD - Sophomore Connor Johnson and redshirt freshman Nate Fiala combined for a 5-3 win in the opener, before Mansfield scored twice in the bottom of the seventh in a 5-4 win in the nightcap as East Stroudsburg University split Saturday's PSAC East baseball opener at Shaute Field.

ESU (10-7, 1-1) led 4-3 going to the seventh in game two after sophomore SS Joey Paolini doubled and scored on an RBI single by junior OF Zarley Cina in the top half of the inning, but Mansfield (7-8, 1-1) used a leadoff walk, sacrifice bunt and throwing error, an intentional walk and two wild pitches to plate the tying and go-ahead runs.

In the opener, Johnson struck out the first five he faced, and retired the first 12 in order before giving up a pair of runs on three doubles in the fifth, finishing with a line of 5.0 innings, two runs, three hits, seven strikeouts and no walks.

Fiala earned his first save (2.0 IP, 1 run, 2 hits, 4 strikeouts, 0 walks), allowing a run in the sixth before striking out the side in the seventh.

Mansfield's Evan McAndrew (5.0 IP, 4 runs, 1 earned, 4 hits, 8 strikeouts, 0 walks) blanked ESU for the first three innings before the Warriors scored runs in the fourth and fifth, and three in the sixth.

Senior catcher Steven Zimmerman, Jr., who reached base in five of his eight plate appearances (2-for-5, 3 HBP, 4 runs), was hit by a pitch to start the fourth, senior 1B Laine Renaud doubled and redshirt junior DH Christian Rishel plated Zimmerman with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.

ESU made it 2-0 in the fifth as redshirt sophomore OF Tom Nuneviller manufactured a run on a leadoff single, stolen base and passed ball, scoring on an RBI groundout by freshman SS Brainy Rojas.

After Mansfield tied it in the bottom of the fifth, ESU got three in the sixth on two hits, a walk, a sacrifice fly and two errors. Zimmerman hit a leadoff single and scored as freshman 3B Brock Kauffman laid down a sacrifice bunt, which was thrown away with Zimmerman scoring on the play and Kauffman reaching third. Rishel drilled an RBI double, sophomore OF Carson Freeman reached via error and Nuneviller walked to load the bases before a sacrifice fly by Paolini for a 5-2 lead.

Mansfield cut it to 5-3 with two singles and a sacrifice fly in the sixth, but Fiala got out of the inning and struck out the seventh.

In game two, it was 3-3 through three innings, followed by three scoreless frames, before the finish.

ESU took a 1-0 lead in the first as Zimmerman was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a single by Kauffman and scored on a passed ball.

Mansfield took its first lead of the day in the second on a two-run homer by Dio Infante, but ESU struck back with a two-RBI double by Renaud in the third after Zimmerman was hit by pitch for the third time in the twinbill and Kauffman walked.

A leadoff solo homer by Mansfield's Spencer Zuraski made it 3-3 after three innings.

Pepio entered and blanked the Mounties for the next three, retiring the first eight batters he faced before a two-out walk in the sixth.

ESU had just one baserunner across those three innings as well, on a one-out single by Zimmerman in the fifth.

In ESU's seventh, Paolini hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Rojas and scored on Cina's RBI single to left.

Sophomore Evan Steele got the ball for the bottom of the seventh, but a walk and error on a sacrifice bunt attempt tied the game at 4-4. Steele got a strikeout but Zuraski reached on a wild pitch, and after an intentional walk, Steele fanned Colby Schearer for the first out of the inning. Carlos Espinosa, who pinch-hit for the sacrifice opportunity, scored the winning run on a wild pitch on a close play at the plate.

Redshirt junior Matt Durkin started for ESU and went 3.0 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

Luke Hils went 6.1 innings for Mansfield (4 runs, 3 earned, 6 hits, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk) before Tyler Guidos got the final two outs of the seventh.

Five players had two hits each for ESU - Cina, Paolini, Renaud, Rishel and Zimmerman.

ESU's pitchers combined for 22 strikeouts and four walks in 13.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and eight runs (six earned).

The two teams will meet again on Sunday at Shaute Field due to unplayable field conditions at ESU's Mitterling Field.