KUTZTOWN – The 20th-ranked East Stroudsburg University baseball team was unable to overcome an early deficit as the Warriors dropped the PSAC East series opener to Kutztown, 4-2, on Thursday afternoon from North Campus Field.
As the race heats up in the PSAC East with just a handful of games remaining for most teams, the Warriors fell to 31-10 overall and 12-7 in the conference while the Golden Bears improved to 25-15 on the season and 11-8 in the league.
Notables
- Matt Ervolina (one run), Cameron Hubbard and Jeremy Piatkiewicz each went 2-for-4
- Jack Rothenhausler and Ben Piripavel (one run) both recorded a double and Tim Haverstick added a base hit
- Graduate student Chase Nowak (8-3) was handed his second straight loss after surrendering four runs (three earned) on three hits over 4.0 innings of work. Jaden Newton and Nick McAuliffe locked the down the Golden Bears over the final 4.0 innings as the duo combined to allow zero hits while striking out five.
- Piatkiewicz swiped the lone base for the Warriors on the afternoon, increasing their single-season school record total to 153, which ranks third in NCAA Division II
- ESU and West Chester are tied for the No. 2 spot in the PSAC East standings with a record of 12-7. The Golden Rams hold the tie breaker after taking two-of-three from the Warriors last weekend.
- In this week's polls, the Warriors were receiving votes in the NCBWA Top 25 and No. 4 in the NCBWA Atlantic Region Poll. ESU was ranked No. 20 in the Collegiate Baseball Division II Poll and as high as No. 8 in the Perfect Game Top 25.
How it Happened – Kutztown 4, ESU 2
In the bottom of the third inning, Kutztown used a trio of hits and an ESU to error to grab a 3-0 lead. Following a leadoff triple from Jason Wolff, he came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Joey Pettinelli for the game's first run. After a fielding miscue allowed Ethan Martini to reach, Antonio Rossillo produced a two-run home run to left field to put the Golden Bears up by three.
The Golden Bears played small ball in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend their advantage to 4-0 as Jimmy Kerley worked a leadoff walk before advancing to second after a sacrifice bunt from Brennan Rozich and coming around to score on an RBI single from Dominic Proietto.
ESU trimmed their lead in half in the top of the sixth inning as the Warriors plated two runs on a pair of hits to make the score 4-2. Piripavel got ESU started with a double and with one out, Ervolina singled to put runners on the corners. After a wild pitch plated the Warriors' first run of the afternoon, Ervolina advanced home on a balk to get ESU within two.
Up Next
The Warriors host the Golden Bears tomorrow at Creekview Park for a twin bill starting at 11 a.m. ESU will honor their five seniors prior to game one.
