Box Scores
W 5-4
L 7-6

BLOOMSBURG - Senior catcher Steven Zimmerman, Jr. set East Stroudsburg University's career home run record, nearly helping the Warriors rally in the nightcap, as ESU and Bloomsburg split a PSAC East baseball doubleheader on Friday.

ESU (14-10, 4-4) won the opener, 5-4, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh.

Bloomsburg (14-6, 6-2) captured game two, 7-6, after leading 7-3 going to the seventh before Zimmerman's three-run homer.

The two schools will finish their four-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mitterling Field.

Zimmerman breaks the ESU career record of 19 set by All-America OF and MLB Draft choice Chris Knott (2011-14), the 2014 PSAC East and Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year.

Zimmerman, a two-time All-PSAC East selection, hit nine home runs as a sophomore, seven as a junior and has four this season while posting career-highs in batting average (.351), on-base percentage (.464) and slugging percentage (.623) near the midpoint of the regular season. He was first team All-PSAC East last spring.

ESU and Bloomsburg combined for nine home runs on a windy day at Litwhiler Field, with the Warriors hitting five - two by redshirt junior DH Christian Rishel and one each from Zimmerman, sophomore OF Carson Freeman and freshman 3B Brock Kauffman.

Rishel (3-for-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 runs, 2 walks), Kauffman (3-for-6, HR, RBI, run, walk) and Zimmerman (3-for-7, HR, 4 RBI, run) all had three hits in the twinbill for ESU.

Shane Woelfel was 5-for-8 for Bloomsburg, including a three-run homer that nearly gave his team the opener.

The Huskies, off to one of their best starts in program history, was 2-0 vs. Kutztown on the opening weekend of PSAC East action and 3-1 vs. Shippensburg last weekend.

Game 1

Sophomore Evan Steele (5.1 IP, 4 runs, 3 earned, 7 hits, 7 strikeouts, 2 walks) teamed with redshirt freshman Nate Fiala (1.0 IP, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk) and redshirt senior left-hander Mike Pepio (0.2 IP save) on the mound as ESU led 3-1 through four innings, only to have to rally in the seventh.

Kauffman hit a solo homer in the first, and Zimmerman had an RBI single after a double by junior OF Zarley Cina in the third, for a 2-0 lead.

Bloomsburg plated an unearned run in the bottom of the third, which ESU got back in the top of the fourth on the first of Rishel's two home runs on the day.

Steele was solid through 4.0 innings before Woelfel's two-out, three-run homer gave Bloomsburg a 4-3 lead in the fifth.

Ben Newbert hit a one-out double for BU in the sixth, but Fiala entered and got a ground ball and strikeout to end the threat and hold the deficit at one.

ESU put together four straight hits to start the seventh - a leadoff single by Rishel, a single by redshirt junior 1B Mike Sulcoski, a game-tying RBI double by Freeman that scored senior Charles Edwards (pinch-runner) and the go-ahead RBI single by sophomore SS Joey Paolini - to lead 5-4 before the Huskies got out of the inning to hold their deficit at one.

Fiala got a strikeout to start the seventh, but after a walk by leadoff hitter Cole Swiger and HBP by Austin Edgette - both hitting over .400 this season - put runners on first and second, Pepio came on to get an infield popup and a long fly ball to left to end the game.

Fiala earned the win, improving to 4-0 in 11 relief appearances (21.1 IP, 2.53 ERA). Pepio gained his first career save, lowering his ERA to 2.29 in 10 appearances (19.2 IP).

Zimmerman and Rishel both had two of ESU's nine hits.

Bloomsburg ace Ashton Raines (5-0, 2.25 ERA in six starts), coming off a shutout vs. Shippensburg last weekend, went 6.0 innings and allowed ESU's first three runs on five hits, with six strikeouts and one walk.

Mike Warren took the loss, allowing three straight hits without getting an out, with Trey Hinkle finishing the seventh.

Game 2

Zimmerman's three-run homer pulled ESU within 7-6 with nobody out in the seventh, but Bloomsburg held on despite ESU getting the tying run to third base.

Trailing 7-3 through six innings, redshirt sophomore OF Tom Nuneviller walked and Cina singled, bringing up Zimmerman, who went deep to left to make it a one-run game.

Kauffman followed with a single and Rishel drew a one-out walk, but Hinkle got a pair of fly balls to strand Kauffman on third to end the game.

Bloomsburg scored in each of its first five innings. ESU got a two-run homer from Freeman, his sixth of the year, in the second and a solo homer by Rishel to open the fourth.

Woelfel was 3-for-4 for Bloomsburg in the No. 3 spot, and the seventh and ninth hitters - Kyle OFier (2-for-2, HR, walk, RBI, 3 runs) and Nate Krizan (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs) - both had big games for the Huskies.

Kauffman had two of ESU's seven hits and Rishel was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs.

Nick Stoner (2-0, 1.48 ERA in 5 appearances) threw 5.0 strong innings for Bloomsburg and was followed by four relievers.

ESU sent out five pitchers as well with sophomore left-hander Tyler Stafursky (1.2 IP, 4 runs, 5 hits, strikeout, 2 walks) getting the start.