EAST STROUDSBURG – On Wednesday, East Stroudsburg University baseball head coach John Kochmansky announced that Ben Piripavel, Jeremy Piatkiewicz, Tim Haverstick, Nick McAuliffe and Brent Francisco have been named team captains for the upcoming 2024 season.
Additionally, the Warriors unveiled the schedule, which features 26 games at Creekview Park.
"Our 2024 captains lead by example and bring a ton of experience to this year's team having played in 400-plus games and making over 60 appearances on the mound," said Kochmansky, who enters his 17th season at the helm in 2024. "We took a unique approach this season as positionally our captains align with the different areas on the field…Ben (Piripavel) in the outfield, Jeremy (Piatkiewicz) in the infield, Tim (Haverstick) behind the plate as well as Brent (Francisco) and Nick (McAuliffe) on the mound." "Their different skills sets and experiences will guide us in the 2024 season, which we are excited to get underway."
Piripavel, an All-PSAC East First Team honoree in 2022, has played in 152 games and made 137 starts in the outfield over the last four years for ESU. A season ago, the Bethlehem native led the PSAC in walks and walks per game (0.96) while ranking 11th and 10th respectively in NCAA Division II. Piripavel currently ranks second all-time at ESU in stolen bases (85) and walks (111) while entering his final season wearing the red and black with a .303 batting average and .453 on-base percentage.
Piatkiewicz has anchored the middle of ESU's infield dating back to his freshman campaign as the senior has played in 129 games while making 124 starts at shortstop in three seasons. For his career, the Fogelsville native has a .295 batting average, .410 slugging percentage and .436 on-base percentage to go along with .965 fielding clip.
Haverstick, who was named an All-PSAC East Second Team selection in 2021 and to the 2023 ABCA Atlantic Region All-Defensive Team, has started 130 games over the last four seasons for the Warriors mainly behind the plate. The Marlton, N.J. native currently holds the program record for putouts with 1,064 and has thrown out 40 baserunners.
McAuliffe made an immediate impact in his first season for the Warriors as he earned All-PSAC East First Team honors as a reliver after appearing in 22 games and making two starts. He pitched to a 2.51 earned run average in 57.1 innings and recorded a team-high three saves.
Francisco, who earned All-PSAC East as well as D2CCA & ABCA/Rawlings All-Atlantic Region First Team recognition in 2022, has been a staple in the Warriors' starting rotation the last three years. In his career, Francisco has made 44 appearances and 38 starts, owns an 18-9 record and 3.59 ERA to go along with 242 strikeouts, which ranks second all-time in program history.
2024 Schedule
ESU opens the 2024 campaign down south as the Warriors play four games in three days against Felician (2/10, 2/11) and Barton (2/10, 2/12) before returning to North Carolina the following weekend for a three-game series versus Chowan (2/17, 2/18). As the calendar flips to March, the Warriors begin the home slate with three-games against Saint Anselm (3/2, 3/3), followed by a midweek single nine-inning contest versus Staten Island (3/6). ESU starts PSAC action with home and road doubleheaders against Lock Haven (3/8, 3/9) and Shepherd #/16, 3/17) before returning to non-conference play with games at Pace (3/19) as well as vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (3/22, 3/23), Salem (3/24) and Queens (3/26).
Following the bye week in the league, the Warriors return to PSAC games with twin bills against Mansfield (3/29, 3/30) and Shippensburg (4/5, 4/6), until welcoming the Setters to Creekview Park on April 9. ESU battles defending PSAC champion Millersville on April 12 and 13, heads to Queens on April 16 and squares off against Bloomsburg (4/19, 4/20) in a doubleheader.
ESU concludes the regular season with conference twin bills versus West Chester (4/26, 4/27) and Kutztown (5/2, 5/3). The Warriors and Golden Bears will play a doubleheader at Coca-Cola Park on Thursday, May 2. More information will be available at esuwarriors.com in the upcoming weeks.
The PSAC Championships are scheduled for May 8 through May 12 at Jack Critchfield Park on the campus of Slippery Rock.
Postseason play continues with the Atlantic Regional (May 16-18) and Atlantic Super Regional (May 24-25) and NCAA Division II Championships (June 1-8) in Cary, N.C.
