STROUDSBURG – After taking both games of the doubleheader against Ohio Dominican (4-3, 13-7), the East Stroudsburg University baseball team set the longest win streak in program history with their 12th consecutive victory on Saturday afternoon at Creekview Park.
ESU eclipsed the three different 11-game streaks set in the 1927-28 (last 8, first 3), 2010 and 2016 seasons to move to 13-2 overall while the Panthers fall to 5-4.
Seven innings was not enough in the opener as the Warriors grinded out a 4-3 win thanks to a game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth from sophomore Jeremy Piatkiewicz. ESU had their initial run cutoff at home for the second out of the inning, but with runners on first and second, Piatkiewicz delivered a base hit into left field that allowed pinch runner Ricky Bromirski race home.
Redshirt senior Nate Fiala was brilliant out of the bullpen to earn the win, firing 4.0 scoreless innings whole allowing one hit and striking out four. Starter Chase Nowak was given the no-decision after yielding three runs on three hits across 5.0 innings of work.
In the second game of the twin bill, Ohio Dominican grabbed a 2-0 lead, but the Warriors answered with 13 runs across the third, fourth and fifth innings to cruise to a 13-7 victory.
Five different players recorded at least two hits including, Ben Piripavel (2-for-4, HR, three runs, four RBI), Brock Kauffman (2-for-3, two RBI), Anthony Torreullas (2-for-4, two RBI), Jack Rothenhausler (2-for-3, one run) and Piatkiewicz (2-for-3, three runs, two RBI).
Tom Reisinger moved to 2-0 on the year after throwing 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while punching out nine Panthers.
Out of the nine spot in the lineup, Piatkiewicz paced the Warriors offensively all afternoon going 4-for-6 with three runs, three RBI and two walks. Piripavel finished 4-for-8 with four runs, four RBI and a walk.
Notables
- ESU has outscored their opponents 113-31 in the win streak
- Kauffman has now reached base safely in 13 consecutive games while Tim Haverstick is at 12
- With 123 runs through 15 games, ESU leads the PSAC by 36 with Lock Haven in second at 87
- The Warriors recorded two stolen bases on the day and lead the conference with 47
How it Happened – Game One
The Warriors jumped on Ohio Dominican in their first at-bats using a pair of hits to plate a run for a 1-0 lead. Piripavel and Kauffman each worked one-out walks to setup Torreullas, who delivered a single to left field for the first run of the game.
ESU added to their lead in the bottom of the second inning as they pushed across another run to make the score 2-0. Hefner led off with a base knock before Cooper Gehring worked a four-pitch walk, which setup Piatkiewicz for a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. With one out, Rojas hit a high chopper back to the pitcher that allowed Hefner to race home.
Ohio Dominican answered in top of the third inning as the Panthers took advantage of a pair of one-out free passes before Devan Nail sent a three-run blast to left field to put the Panthers ahead 3-2.
With two outs in the home half of the third, the Warriors used a two-out rally to tie the game at 3-3. Tommy Dunleavy got ESU started with a single up the middle before Drew Hefner walked on four pitches to set up Gehring, who drove in the tying run on a base knock to center field.
As the game moved into extra innings, neither team scored in the eighth, but the Warriors were able to manufacture a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game 4-3. Haverstick worked a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch before being replaced by pinch runner Jack Gensemer. With one out, Gensemer raced home on a ground ball from Hefner but was cutoff to keep the Warriors off the board. With a chance to end the inning, Ohio Dominican made a fielding error which allowed Piatkiewicz to deliver the game-winning hit.
How it Happened – Game Two
After a scoreless first two innings, Ohio Dominican jumped out a 2-0 lead on three hits in the bottom of the third. The Panthers loaded the bases with no outs before Reisinger struck out the next two hitters for a better a chance to get out of the jam. However, Michael Knapp dumped a 2-2 pitch into right field to late a pair of runs.
The Warriors answered with two runs of their own in the home half of the inning to even the game. Piatkiewicz singled to lead off and advanced all the way to third before Piripavel brought him home on an RBI double. Kauffman followed for ESU with a single that allowed Piripavel to race around the bases for the tying run.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Warriors offense exploded for five runs on four hits to grab a 7-2 advantage. Piatkiewicz got the scoring started by doubling home Haverstick before Rojas reached on an error that allowed Gehring to put ESU up 4-2. Piripavel followed with the biggest blow of the frame as he slugged a three-run bomb to right field to break the game open.
Ohio Dominican got one run back in the top of the fifth inning on two hits to cut their deficit to 7-3. With bases loaded and two outs, the Panthers had a chance to tack on more runs, but Reisinger got his ninth strikeout of the game to end the threat.
ESU hung up another crocked number in the bottom of the frame as the Warriors pushed across six more runs on just three hits. Piatkiewicz walked with the bases loaded and Rojas followed with a single to put ESU in front 9-3. After an out was dropped at the plate, which allowed ESU to score, Kauffman recorded a sacrifice out for the Warriors' 11th run. Torreullas capped off the inning with a two-run RBI double to give ESU a 10-run lead, 13-3.
Trailing 13-3 in their final at-bats, Ohio Dominican scored four runs on two hits to make the final score 13-7.
Up Next
The Warriors close out the weekend tomorrow with another twin bill against Ohio Dominican beginning at noon at Creekview Park.
