WEST CHESTER – Trailing 5-1 entering the top of the seventh inning, the East Stroudsburg University baseball team scored eight runs to hold on for a 11-10 victory over West Chester in a thrilling first game of the Atlantic Super Regional on Friday at Serpico Stadium.   

The Warriors increase their school-record win total to 41 and are now one game away from advancing to the championships, which will take place from June 4-11 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The Golden Rams (32-13) must win tomorrow’s game at 11 a.m. in order to force a winner-take-all scenario, which would follow at approximately 3 p.m.

Check out post game comments below from 15th-year head coach John Kochmansky and redshirt sophomore catcher Tim Haverstick.

Through the first six innings, ESU’s offense was held in check until an eight run explosion in the top of the seventh gave the Warriors their first lead of the game at 9-5. ESU chipped away slowly as Jeremy Piatkiewicz got the scoring started with an RBI double before Brainy Rojas and Piripavel got the Warriors within one at 5-4 on balls that didn’t leave the infield. 

Graduate student CJ Peechatka would tie the game on a base hit before back-to-back hit by pitches to Anthony Torreullas and Jack Rothenhausler gave ESU their first lead at 6-5. Following a wild pitch that scored another run, Tim Haverstick put the Warriors in front 9-5 with a two-run single through the left side. 

The Golden Rams nearly mounted a comeback in their final at-bats, scoring four times to pull within one run at 11-10. Following Zack Miles’ three-run home run, Zack Wright sent a ball down the right field line that had a chance for extra bases but not before All-PSAC outfielder Ben Piripavel made a web gem catch to seal the game for the Warriors. 

Highlighting the day for ESU at the plate was redshirt senior Brock Kauffmanm, who set the school record for hits by notching the 225th of his career on a bloop single in the top of the seventh. The Blue Ball, Pa. native finished the game 2-for-5 with a run and has now set three program records this season (doubles, RBI). 

Batting out of the No. 8 spot, Haverstick went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run while Piatkiewicz added a trio of hits to go with a walk, RBI and run scored. Peechatka was 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI while Brainy Rojas, Piripavel and Torreullas each collected a hit and drove in a run.

Redshirt senior Nate Fiala (6-1) earned the victory after firing 1.0 inning of relief and starter Chase Nowak settled for the no-decision after allowing five runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings of work. 

Notables

- CJ Peechatka stretched his team-high on-base streak to 31 games with a pair of base hits

- Rojas remained at 161 runs for his career to stay put at third all-time in program history. The Wilkes-Barre, Pa. native is still three away from the program record, while still ranking second for stolen bases with 79

- Fiala earned his sixth win of the year and extended his single-season number for games pitched by making his 25th appearance

- Rothenhausler continued to rewrite the freshman record book as his RBI (35) and run scored (35) eclipsed both previous marks. The Bethlehem native holds ESU freshman records in hits (55), doubles (17), home runs (7), extra base hits (26) and total bases (97). 

- With five strikeouts, Nowak increased his career total to 220, putting him alone at second all-time in school history and 19 off the record

- Kauffman (2) and Piatkiewicz (1) were responsible for three stolen bases, increasing ESU’s season total to 138, which ranks sixth in all of NCAA Division II

- The Warriors improve to 9-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament

How it Happened 

The Golden Rams took advantage of a leadoff double from Luke Cantwell in the bottom of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. With one out, Sean Szestowicki delivered an extra base hit to right center field to drive in the first run of the game. 

With no outs and runners on the corners to open the bottom of the third inning, WCU stretched their edge to 2-0 as Joe Kaleck produced a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Zack Wright. 

WCU scored for the third consecutive inning in the bottom of the fourth as JR Gifford hit a double down the third baseline to put the Golden Rams ahead 3-0. 

The Golden Rams stretched their lead to 5-0 in the home half of the fifth inning as Cantwell drove in a pair on a single through the left side that deflected off the glove of an outstretched Piatkiewicz. 

ESU scored their first run of the game in the top of the sixth inning as Peechatka recorded an RBI groundout to cut the Warriors deficit to 5-1. Piripavel came around to cross home plate after leading off the frame with a double and advancing to third on a wild pitch. 

The Warriors offense erupted in the top of the seventh inning, sending 11 batters to plate and scoring eight runs on six hits to take their first lead of the game at 9-5. Piatkiewicz got the scoring started on a double to right field, which brought home Haverstick, who walked to lead off the frame. Rojas followed with an infield single leaving left runners on the corners for Piripavel, who delivered an RBI on a fielder’s choice to get ESU within one at 5-4. 

After a record-setting single from Kauffman, Peechatka tied the game at 5-5 on a base hit before Torreullas was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rothenhausler proceeded to get plunked on his first pitch of the at-bat, putting the Warriors ahead 6-5 and the lead grew to 7-5 in the blink of an eye following a wild pitch. Stepping to the dish for the second time, Haverstick capped off the frame with a two-run single through the left side to put the Warriors up 9-5. 

With two outs in the top of the eighth inning, ESU pushed their advantage to 11-5 as Torreullas singled home Jack Gensemer before coming around to score on the play after a throwing error from the Golden Ram’s catcher sent the ball to the outfield.

WCU got one run back in the bottom half of the frame as Gifford hit a one-out solo home run to left field to make the score 11-6 in favor of ESU. 

The Golden Rams didn’t go down without a fight in their final-at bats, plating four runs on two hits to make the final score 11-10. Zack Miles gave WCU a chance to tie the game after slugging a three-run blast, but Piripavel put an end to the Golden Rams’ chances with a spectacular diving catch in right field. 

Up Next

The Warriors look to punch their ticket to Cary, N.C. tomorrow with game two of the Atlantic Super Regional against West Chester scheduled for 11 a.m. at Serpico Stadium. 

For all the latest news and information regarding schedule changes, please be sure to visit the East Stroudsburg University Athletics website at www.esuwarriors.com or check out our Twitter account at @ESUWarriors