SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.V. – In the rubber match of the three-game series, the 13th/18th-ranked East Stroudsburg University baseball team thumped Shepherd, 14-4, on Monday afternoon at Fairfax Field.
Winning the series and their fifth consecutive game, the Warriors improved to 18-3 overall and 2-1 in the PSAC East, while the Rams dropped to 13-7 on the season and 3-2 in the conference.
Notables
- Jeremy Piatkiewicz and Tim Haverstick paced the Warriors offensively as the juniors combined to go 4-for-8 with two walks, seven RBI and two runs
- Out of the leadoff spot, redshirt junior Ben Piripavel reached base all six times, going 2-for-2 with four walks and two runs scored
- Sophomore Jack Rothenhausler extended his on-base streak to 17 games and recorded a hit for the 11th straight contest after finishing 3-for-5 with one walk, RBI and run a piece
- Junior Mike Kelly and graduate student Victor Cruz each had a base hit and RBI while combining for five runs scored and three free passes
- Redshirt freshman Parker Frey finished 1-for-3 while adding one walk, RBI and run each. His replacement in the lineup, Shanley Wall, went 1-for-2 with one RBI and one run
- Making his second start of the season, Nick McAuliffe (2-1) earned the victory after tossing 5.2 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits while punching out seven Rams
- In the top of the second inning, Haverstick belted the Warriors sixth home run of the season and second in his career
- ESU is up to 83 stolen bases on the season with three this afternoon. Coming into today's game the Warriors were tied for fourth in NCAA Division II with UNC Pembroke.
- Prior to the series finale, the Warriors had the lowest ERA in the country at 2.59 and are now tied with Millersville at 2.61
- In today's NCBWA Atlantic Region Poll, the Warriors remained at No. 2 but failed to receive a first-place vote. ESU is still ranked No. 18 in the NCBWA Top 25 with the newest edition released on Wednesday. ESU jumped up to No. 11 in the College Baseball Division II Top 25 and were ranked as high as No. 9 by Perfect Game.
How it Happened – ESU 9, Shepherd (Game One)
The Warriors jumped on Shepherd early, using four singles in the top of the first inning to grab a 1-0 lead. Piripavel, Ervolina and Rothenhausler each recorded a base hit before Frey produced a RBI single through the right side to plate ESU's first run of the game.
Shepherd took advantage of a throwing error by ESU in the home half of the inning to even it up at 1-1. Cole Daugherty led off with a single, advanced to second on the miscue and came around to score on a RBI base hit from Sam Daggers.
The back-and-forth continued in the top of the second inning as ESU regained the lead at 2-1 following a home run to left field from Haverstick on the first pitch of the frame.
Using four runs on two hits and a quartet of walks in the top of the third inning, ESU extended their advantage to 6-1 over the Rams. After the Warriors loaded the bases on three consecutive walks, Haverstick collected a RBI on a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Frey. Then with runners on the corners, Kelly laced a single into left field to make the score 4-1. Piripavel would reload the bases on a bloop single and with two outs, Piatkiewicz was hit by pitch and Rothenhausler worked a walk to put ESU ahead by five runs.
The Rams chipped away in the bottom half of the third as Daugherty raced home on a triple from Daggers to trim their deficit to 6-2.
The Warriors wasted no time and got the run right back in the top of the fourth inning to regain a 7-2 edge over Shepherd. Cruz led off the frame with a double before moving over to third on a flyout to right field. After a walk to Kelly put runners on the corners, the junior swiped second and a bobble by the Rams allowed Cruz to cross home plate.
ESU broke the game wide open in the top of the seventh inning, plating five runs on three hits to increase their lead to 12-2. Following back to back walks to Kelly and Piripavel, a base hit from Ervolina brought in a run to make the score 8-2. With runners in scoring position, Piatkiewicz delivered a bases clearing single to put ESU up 10-2. Rothenhausler followed with a single and after a wild pitch allowed both runners to advance, a RBI groundout from Wall and a sacrifice fly by Cruz gave the Warriors a 10-run cushion.
With two outs in the top of the eighth inning, Piatkiewicz notched his fourth RBI of the day on an infield single to plate Kelly, making the score 13-2.
In the home half of the inning, Shepherd cut the score 13-4 after consecutive home runs from Daggers and Ross Mulhall.
In their last at-bats, ESU made the final score 14-4 as Haverstick singled home Wall, who opened the top of the ninth inning with a base hit.
Up Next
ESU welcomes Pace to Creekview Park on Wednesday for a single nine-inning game beginning at 3 p.m.
