EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The East Stroudsburg University baseball team dropped a pair of games against West Chester on Tuesday afternoon at Creekview Park. The Golden Rams took game one 13-9, and scored eight unanswered runs to win game two, 8-4.
The Warriors drop to 13-14 overall, 11-10 in the PSAC East while the Golden Rams improve to 11-7 on the season and in conference play. The teams will close out the season series next Tuesday at West Chester.
Redshirt senior's
Carson Freeman and
Joey Paolini paced the Warriors on offense in game one as they both went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and one run scored. In game two, redshirt sophomore went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored while freshman
Ricky Bromirski collected a pair of RBIs on his double.
Game One
West Chester scored six runs in the top of the second inning and added seven more the rest of the game to earn the 9-2 victory in game one of the twin bill at Creekview Park.
Following a scoreless first inning, the Goldens Rams took the lead in the top of the second inning with six runs on four hits. West Chester had back-to-back singles to open the frame before Tom Resigner issued three straight four pitch walks to push across a pair. After a pitching change by the Warriors, Zack Wright delivered single up the middle to plate another two runs. Nick D'Amore capped off the inning for the Golden Rams with a two-RBI double to right center field to make the score 6-0.
West Chester extended their lead to 7-0 in the top of the third inning when a ground ball with two outs was not fielded cleanly by the Warriors which allowed Hunter Hall to race home.
The Warriors got on the board in the home half of the inning with two runs to cut West Chester's advantage to 7-2. Paolini led off the inning with an infield single and following an out,
Ben Piripavel delivered a single to right field to put runners on the corners. Piripavel would go on to steal second and then a wild pitch from the Golden Rams' pitcher allowed Paolini to score.
Brock Kauffman followed with a sacrifice fly to deep left field that permitted Piripavel to tag up for the second run of the inning.
The Golden Rams regained their seven run lead in the top of the fourth inning after plating one run on a wild pitch and another on a passed ball to make the score 9-2.
West Chester pushed their advantage to 11-2 with two runs on three hits in the top of the fifth. Wright kick started the inning for the Golden Rams with a leadoff triple.
ESU sent 10 batters to plate and scored four runs on three hits in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 11-5. Freeman drove in Piripavel on a double that hit off the top of the fence and Kauffman followed with a ground rule double over the right fence to bring home Freeman. With two-outs,
Tommy Ajjan delivered a double down the right field line to score Kauffman and Paolini worked a bases loaded walk to plate
Logan Stirr.
The Golden Rams made the score 13-6 in the top of the sixth inning as Justin Horn plated a pair when he punched a two-out single into right field.
The Warriors got one run back in the home half of the inning when Kauffman registered his second sacrifice fly of the game that allowed Piatkiewicz to race home and make the score 13-7.
ESU would not quietly in the final inning as they scored two runs on a pair of hits. Zach Hynes produced a leadoff infield single and Ajjan worked a walked before the duo advanced a base on a wild pitch. The Golden Rams would surrender the first run of the inning on
Jake Packer ground out and Paolini doubled to center to score Ajjan
West Chester starter Jack Slade earned the victory despite surrendering six runs on five hits and striking out four over 4.2 innings of work. Cody Barberio pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and issuing four walks.
ESU starter
Tom Reisinger was handed the loss after allowing five runs on two hits and issuing three walks in one plus innings of work.
JP Nolan,
Scott Shamany,
Brett Lubreski and
Nate Fiala combined to surrender eight runs on 10 hits and strikeout six over the next five innings. Redshirt junior
Leon Finney struck out three batters in one inning of work.
Game Two
ESU raced out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning but West Chester scored eight unanswered runs over the next three innings and picked up the 8-4 win in game two of the doubleheader.
The Warriors grabbed a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on four hits and three walks. Stirr got the scoring started when he poked a single into right field that allowed Piripavel and Freeman to score. The Warriors then reloaded the bases for Bromirski who punched a doubled down the right field to plate Dunleavy and Stirr.
West Chester tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the second inning when they scored four two-out runs. Nolan Bolton got the Golden Rams on the board when produced an RBI single up the middle to score Cantwell, who led off the frame with a double. Brian Verratti capped the inning with a three-run shot to left field that plated Bolton and Kaleck to even the game.
The Golden Rams grabbed a 6-4 lead on three straight doubles to left field from D'Amore, Horn and Cantwell to open the top of the third inning. WCU went on to push advantage to 7-4 after an RBI single from Hall plated Cantwell for the third running of the frame.
West Chester pushed their lead to four runs in the top of the fourth inning as D'Amore raced home on a wild pitch to make the score 8-4.
ESU never threatened over the final four innings as they produced just two base runners the rest of the way.
Golden Ram's reliever Andrew Cantwell was credited with the win after pitching a clean 1.2 innings and striking out three. Christian Kinsley started the game for West Chester and allowed five runs on four hits while issuing six walks over 3.1 innings of work.
Warriors' starter
Tommy Dunleavy was issued the loss after allowing seven runs on seven hits in 2.0 innings.
Up Next
The Warriors are right back at Creekview Park on Friday when they welcome Lock Haven for a pair of seven inning games beginning at 12 p.m.
