SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.V. – Redshirt senior Anthony Torreullas helped the East Stroudsburg University baseball salvage their doubleheader against Shepherd on Thursday with a two-run home run in the top of the 13th inning to lift the Warriors past the Rams 8-6 at Fairfax Field. Shepherd blanked ESU in the opener by a final score of 3-0.
ESU welcomes Shepherd to Creekview Park with a chance to clinch a spot in the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2019. The Warriors also advance to postseason play with a Bloomsburg loss to Lock Haven.
With the split, the Warriors sit at 33-15 on the season and 14-9 in the PSAC East while the Rams move to 18-21-1 overall and 10-12-1 in the conference.
In the opener, the game was scoreless going into the bottom of the sixth before Shepherd scored three runs, which included back-to-back home runs to begin the inning. Redshirt sophomore Brent Francisco (6-2) extended his scoreless streak to 19 innings before finishing with the day with 5.2 innings pitched, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out nine.
In the back-and-forth 13-inning thriller, ESU held the lead early before Shepherd jumped ahead 6-5 following a three-run 5th. The Warriors, who left 14 runners on base, capitalized in the top of the eighth inning on a Jeremy Piatkiewicz single to tie the score at 6-6, before ultimately winning the game on Torreullas' long ball in the 13th.
After the Warriors surrender six runs on five hits through the first 4.2 innings, Jack Nielson (1.1 innings, two strikeouts), Nate Fiala (4.0 innings, four strikeouts) and Tommy Dunleavy (3.0 innings, six strikeouts) combined to no-hit the Rams the rest of the way.
Redshirt senior Brock Kauffman paced the Warriors offensively going 6-for-10 with two home runs, a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Brainy Rojas was 4-for-9 with two doubles, a walk and an RBI while Jack Rothenhausler and Piatkiewicz each collected three hits on the day.
Notables
- Piripavel saw his 23-game on-base streak come to an end in the opener while CJ Peechatka (2-for-8) continued his hot-streak at the plate, stretching his team-high hitting streak to 14 games with a base hit in each contest
- Rojas remained at 152 runs scored in his career, which ranks fourth all-time in program history and still sits second for stolen bases with 76
- Kauffman notched his 211th career hit to move into third all-time in program history as well as his 78th extra-base hit which ranks second
- Torreullas game-winning home run was the 20th of his career, moves him into third all-time in the record books
- Francisco increased his strikeout season total to 102 which makes him just the third pitcher in program history to reach the century mark. 102 K's is also the second most all-time and three from tying the record of 105 set back in 2016 by Matt Feasta
- As a pitching staff, the Warriors brought their season strikeout total to 427, eclipsing the mark of 407 setback in 2016
- Rothenhausler broke Brian Ernst's freshman home record of six set in 2010 after launching his seventh of the season
- The Warriors stole three bases on the afternoon to increase their season total to 124, which is the most in a single-season, while also ranking second in the PSAC and sixth in all of NCAA Division II
How it Happened – Game One
With the game tied at 0-0 headed into the bottom of the sixth, the Rams went ahead 3-0 after back-to-back home runs from Tommy Gibson and Gino Serechia to lead off the inning. Shepherd capped of the frame with a run scoring single from Zach Doss.
How it Happened – Game Two
The Warriors scored their first run of the afternoon in the top of the second as Rothenhausler led off the inning with a home run to left field. ESU would then extend their lead to 2-0 after Piatkiewicz singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and ultimately coming around to score on a double from Rojas.
Shepherd answered in the home half of the inning with a run on one hit to make the score 2-1. With two outs, Cole Daugherty doubled to right field to bring home the Ram's first run.
ESU got the run right back in the top of the third inning as Kauffman led off with a solo home run to left field to put the Warriors back ahead by two at 3-1. Then with two outs and runners on first and second, Haverstick delivered an RBI single to score Rothenhausler, who singled down the left field line earlier in the frame.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Rams scored two runs of their own to get back within one again at 4-3. Shepherd worked a free pass with two outs and Ross Mulhall followed with a two-run blast to left field.
Kauffman continued to swing a hot bat with two outs in the top of the fourth inning as he crushed his second long ball of the game over the left field fence to stretch ESU's lead to 5-3.
The back and forth game continued in the bottom of the sixth inning as Shepherd scored three runs on three hits to take their first lead at 6-5. Ryan Haddaway recorded a solo home run and Doss brought home the go-ahead run on a two-run base hit.
The Warriors tied the score at 6-6 in the top of the eighth inning as Piatkiewicz singled up the middle to bring home Haverstick, who worked a one-one walk before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch.
After not capitalizing on a handful of scoring chances in extra innings, Torreullas delivered in the top of the 13th inning with a game-winning two-run home run to center field to make the score 8-6. Peechatka came around to score on the play after getting hit by a pitch with one out.
Up Next
The Warriors are back at Creekview Park for the final time this season on Sunday when they welcome Shepherd at 2 p.m.
