STROUDSBURG – Behind a complete game from redshirt senior Chase Nowak in the opener, the East Stroudsburg University baseball team returned to conference play on Saturday afternoon by earning a doubleheader split against Bloomsburg at Creekview Park.
The Warriors took game one after a five-run first inning lifted them to a 11-1 victory before the Huskies held on to win the second game 3-2 in a pitcher's duel.
With the split, the Warriors move to 24-9 on the season and 6-5 in the conference while the Huskies go to 17-12-1 overall and 9-4-1 in the PSAC East.
Nowak (4-0) was brilliant in the opener as he fired his second complete game of the season (7.0 innings), allowing just one run on three his while striking out nine. In 50.1 innings pitched this season, the Wilkes-Barre, Pa. holds a 1.61 ERA, which ranks third in the conference.
Despite earning the loss in game two, Tom Reisinger (4-2) pitched 5.2 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits, while issuing five walks and punching out four.
Brock Kauffman finished the day 4-for-7 with a double, a walk, three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases while Ben Piripavel went 3-for-6 with a walk, an RBI, three runs and two steals.
Jack Rothenhausler and Tommy Dunleavy provided the offense in game one as the duo combined to go 3-for-6, with a home run, two free passes, two runs and seven RBI.
Notables
- Kauffman remains at 143 career RBI which is four shy of setting the school record held by Chris Knott (2011-14) with 146. The Blue Ball, Pa. native is up to 68 career extra-base hits which now ranks tied for second in program history.
- Crossing home plate three times today, Rojas moved into a tie for sixth all-time with a 142 runs in his career. The redshirt senior also sits second in program history with 70 stolen bases.
- Rojas stretched his team-high hitting and on-base streak to 10 and 16 games respectively
- The Warriors swiped nine stolen bases on the day to bring their season total to 89, which ranks second in the PSAC and 12th in all of NCAA DII
- Head Coach John Kochmansky continues to near his 400th career win after picking up No. 393 in the opener
How it Happened – Game One
With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, the Warriors scored four runs to grab a lead over the Huskies. Rothenhausler got ESU on the board with a bases loaded two run single, and Dunleavy followed by crushing a three-run blast to left center field to make the score 5-0.
ESU took advantage of a lead off single from Rojas in the home half of the second inning to push their edge to 6-0 over Bloomsburg on an RBI groundout from Piripavel.
The Warriors put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth inning beginning with a single from Piripavel, followed by a double from Kauffman to put runners in scoring position. On the third pitch of the at-bat to CJ Peechatka, the ball got away from the catcher which allowed Piripavel to make the score 7-0.
Following a led off walk by Rojas in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Warriors tacked on four insurance runs using just one hit to push their advantage to 11-0. Rojas stole second and ultimately came around to score when Piripavel swiped a base following his base hit. Kauffman and Peechatka loaded the bases on walks before Rothenhausler worked a free pass to push across a run. Dunleavy recorded an RBI groundout for ESU's 10th run and Peechatka capped off the frame by scoring on a wild pitch.
How it Happened – Game Two
The Huskies jumped on the Warriors early, using a hit by pitch and double to open the scoring in the top of the first. With runners on second and third, Brandon Ernst recorded a sacrifice pop out to make the score 1-0 in favor of Bloomsburg.
ESU tied the game in the bottom of the fourth at 1-1 as the inning looked to be coming to an end on double play ball but not before the throw to first sailed high. Kauffman would ultimately come around to score after leading off the frame with a base hit.
Bloomsburg scratched across a run in the top of the sixth inning as back-to-back throwing errors by the Warriors led to the score. Jarden Burcin worked a two-out walk before coming all the way around to put the Huskies ahead 2-1.
The Huskies added an insurance run during their at-bats in the top of the eighth inning as consecutive doubles with one out made the score 3-1.
The Warriors got the run right back in the home half of the inning as three straight hitters reached base to get ESU back within one at 3-2. Piripavel got the rally started with a walk before a single from Kauffman put runners on the corner for Peechatka, who delivered an RBI base hit through the ride side
Up Next
The Warriors close out the series tomorrow with a trip to Bloomsburg for a single nine-inning game against the Huskies at 2 p.m. from Danny Litwhiler Field.
