EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The East Stroudsburg University baseball team opened their 2021 campaign on Monday afternoon by splitting the double header against Chestnut Hill at Creekview Park.

The Griffins took game one in come from behind fashion, 5-4, but the Warriors responded in game two with excellent pitching and timely hitting to earn the 3-2 win.

In this week's NCBWA Atlantic Region poll, the Warriors were listed as No. 2 after receiving one first-place vote and netting 113 points.

GAME ONE: East Stroudsburg 4, Chestnut Hill 5
RECORDS: ESU 0-1, Chestnut Hill 1-0

GAME TWO: East Stroudsburg 3, Chestnut Hill 2
RECORDS: ESU 1-1, Chestnut Hill 1-1

Game One
Following a pair of Chase Nowak strikeouts in the top half of the first inning, the Warriors jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an RBI single to center from Anthony Torreullas that drove in Carson Freeman. Chestnut Hill answered with a solo homerun in the top half of the second from Andrew Dietz to tie the game at 1-1.

With Brent Francisco into the game to pitch for the Warriors, the Griffins manufactured two runs on two hits and a walk to take a 3-1 lead in the top of the third.

The Warriors responded in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs to tie the game at 3-3. Ben Piripavel led off with a walk before advancing to second on a stolen base. With one out, Freeman hit a gapper to left center field that drove in Piripavel and resulted in a triple. Two pitches later, Brock Kauffman hit a shot down the third baseline to drive in Freeman and tie the game.

After a scoreless fourth inning, Chestnut Hill regained a 5-3 lead in the top of the fifth. With two outs in the inning, the Griffins scored a pair of runs on RBI singles from Ameir Uzzell and Andrew Dietz. Uzzell knocked in the go-ahead for the Griffins and moved into scoring position due to two wild pitches from Justin Guidos before being knocked in by Dietz.

The Warriors were threatening in the bottom of the seventh as they loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of walks and a base knock from Joey Paolini. After a pitching change by the Griffins, Will Shaffer struck out the first batter he faced before allowing Piripavel to drive in a run on a sacrifice fly to left. With the Warriors down to their final out and still trailing by a run, Rojas grounded out to the pitcher to end the game.

Billy Bethel (1-0) earned the win for the Chestnut Hill while Justin Guidos (0-1) was handed the loss for the Warriors. Nowak opened the game for the Warriors, allowing one run off two hits and recording four strikeouts across two innings of work.

Game Two
ESU raced out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after a two-out double from Tommy Dunleavy drove in Brainy Rojas and Kauffman, who both walked to open the inning.

The Griffins had a scoring chance in the top of the fourth after putting runners on the corners with just one out, but Connor Johnson worked around the jam to keep Chestnut Hill off the board. The redshirt senior struck out Anthony Croom for the second out and forced Thomas Sprat into a field choice to get the final out of the frame.

In the very next inning, Chestnut Hill threatened again, this time adding two runs to tie the game at 2-2. The Warriors got the first out the inning but after back to back walks, a wild pitch and a single from John Contoudis, the lead was cut to 2-1. Following another wild pitch from Tom Reisinger, Sam Barletta raced home from third to even the score.

ESU wasted no time regaining the lead in the bottom of the fifth after Freeman opened the inning with a triple. The Chestnut Hill centerfielder made a diving attempt for the catch, but the ball rolled to the fence. Kauffman came up next and knocked him on a single down the third baseline to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Warriors.

Mike Yates, who recorded the final out in the 5th, needed just nine pitches to retire the Griffins' hitters in the top of the sixth. CJ Gonzales looked to close the game out for the Warriors as he came on to pitch the seventh. The senior made quick work of the first two batters, needing just four pitches to get two outs. Following a fielding error, Gonzalez was able to get Contoudis to ground out to third to end the game.

Yates (1-0) earned the win after throwing 1.1 scoreless innings and Gonzales picked up his first save of the season.

Redshirt seniors Cam Voss and Connor Johnson were both impressive in their season debuts, combining to throw 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, and striking out five.

Up Next
The Warriors return to Creekview Park on Wednesday as they welcome Chestnut Hill for a single nine-inning game at 1 p.m.