EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The East Stroudsburg University baseball team scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning in game two of Friday's doubleheader to earn a split against Shepherd at Creekview Park.

After dropping the first game by a score of 5-2, the Warriors (15-15-1, 13-12-1 PSAC East) scored two runs in the seventh inning and one run in the ninth inning to rally for a 5-4 victory over the Rams (19-12-1) in game two of the twin bill.

Redshirt junior Brock Kauffman delivered a two-run single in the seventh to tie the game at 4-4 and Brainy Rojas raced home on a pass ball in the bottom of the ninth to win the game for the Warriors.

Kauffman continued his hot streak at the plate going 5-for-7 with two doubles, four RBIs and two runs across both games. Entering the series against Shepherd, Kauffman was hitting .230 but after going 11-for-15 he has raised his season batting average to .304.

Rojas also helped pace the Warriors on offense going 4-for-8 with a home run, four runs scored, one RBI and one stolen base. The redshirt junior finished the four-game set 7-for-14 to improve his season batting average from .232 to .271.

In game two, the Warriors' pitching staff combined for 17 strikeouts which is the most against a PSAC East team in program history. The mark is also tied for the second most in a single game against any opponent.

Game One
The Warriors raced out to early lead, but the Rams scored five runs in the top of the third inning and held on for the 5-2 victory in game one of the doubleheader.

Shepherd starter Mitchell Wilson was credited with the win after firing a complete game in which he allowed two runs on four hits and struck out nine.

Chase Nowak was handed the loss for ESU after allowing five runs on three hits and issuing four walks in 2.2 innings of work.

Offensively for the Warriors, Freeman had an RBI double, and Rojas smashed a solo home run in the third.

ESU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a two-out RBI double down the left field line from Freeman that brought home Kauffman. Kauffman got on base for the Warriors after working an eight pitch walk.

After a shutdown first two innings from Nowak, the Rams took a 5-1 lead on three hits and four walks in the top of third inning. Tommy Gibson led off the frame with a single but was thrown out stealing second before the bases were loaded on three straight free passes. Caleb Walls was then hit by a pitch to push across the tying run and Jared Carr followed with an RBI double to left center field to give the Rams the lead. Shepherd pushed their advantage to four runs when Dalton Stewart delivered a double down the right field line to plate Walls and Carr.

Rojas answered for the Warriors in the home half of the third with a leadoff solo home run to left field to make the score 5-2.

Shepherd threatened to extend their lead in the top of the fifth and sixth innings when they loaded the bases with one out each time, but the Warriors were able to get out of the jam in both innings.

ESU had just two hits after the third inning including a two-out single from Ricky Bromirski in the bottom of the seventh.

Game Two
Finding themselves trailing by two runs headed into the bottom of the seventh, ESU tied the game at 4-4 on an RBI single from Kauffman that scored a pair. Then in the bottom of the ninth, the Warriors would push across the game-winning run when Rojas scampered home on a pass ball to make the score 5-4 in game two of the twin bill.

Senior CJ Gonzales earned the win after pitching the final three innings, allowing two hits and striking out a career-high six. ESU starter Brent Francisco yielded two runs on seven hits and struck out eight across four innings in the no-decision.

Shepherd's Nate Hodgkinson suffered the loss after giving up one run on three hits in 2.1 innings. Eric O'Brein started the game for the Rams, surrendering two runs on six hits and punching out four in five innings of work.

Shepherd wasted no time as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead on two hits in the top of the first inning. Walls got the Rams on the board with an RBI double to left center field that plated Daugherty. Shepherd was threatening to plate more runs in the frame, but Joey Paolini fired a strike home to cut off Walls and Francisco struck put a pair to limit the damage.

The Warriors answered with on run on three straight two-out singles to tie the game in the bottom half of the first. Kauffman started the rally with a single through the right side, Freeman followed with a base knock to left and Dunleavy delivered an RBI single to right field to bring home Kauffman.

The Rams regained the lead in the top of the third with one run on two hits. With two outs in the frame, Shepherd has runners on the corners when Gibson stole second which allowed Stewart to race home for the go-ahead run.

With one run on two hits in the home half of the inning, ESU evened the score at 2-2. Rojas led off with a single before advancing to second on a stolen base and then moving up 90 more feet on a fly out from Piripavel. Kauffman continued his hot streak at the dish with an RBI double to right field which brought home Rojas to tie the game.

Shepherd took the lead back in the top of the fifth inning with two run on two hits. Gibson opened the frame with a walk before advancing to third on single from Doss. Goldsmith followed with a double to left field that plated Gibson to give the Rams the lead. The Rams would then push their advantage to 4-2 on a sacrifice fly from Daugherty that allowed Doss to race home.

The Warriors would not go quietly in the bottom of the seventh inning as they tied the game at 4-4 with two runs on two hits. Kauffman delivered a clutch RBI single up that middle that plated Paolini and Rojas to even the score. Paolini led off the frame with a walk before advancing to third on a wild pitch and a single from Rojas. Rojas then moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Piripavel.

In the bottom of the ninth, Rojas got on base with a one-out single and advanced to second after Piripavel legged out an infield hit. Kauffman followed by flying out to deep center field which allowed Rojas to tag up, setting up Freeman with runners on the corners and two outs. After taking the first pitch for a ball, Tanner Dixon fired the next pitch that got away from the catcher and allowed Rojas to score fairly easily on a headfirst slide.

Up Next
The Warriors are back on the road on Monday, May 3 when they travel to Lock Haven to begin making up their series against the Bald Eagles with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. from Watkins Field.