BLOOMSBURG – The 13th-ranked East Stroudsburg University baseball team completed the four-game sweep of Bloomsburg on Sunday afternoon at Danny Litwhiler Field as the Warriors won the first half of the doubleheader 5-3, followed by a 15-3 triumph in the series finale.
The Warriors, who have now swept five of their six PSAC East series this year, moved to 34-6 overall, 22-2 in the conference and extended their lead at the top of the standings to three games over Millersville.
Following yesterday's results around the PSAC East, the Warriors clinched a spot in the conference tournament for third straight year and 10th time overall under 17th-year head coach
John Kochmansky.
Batting Notables
- In game one, redshirt junior Cameron Hubbard went 2-for-4 with an RBI and run, junior Jack Rothenhausler was 1-for-4 with an RBI and redshirt freshman Chaise Albus was 1-for-2 with a walk and run scored
- Sophomore Shanley Wall worked two walks and scored two runs, while senior Jeremy Piatkiewicz collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly
- ESU exploded offensively in the series finale as the Warriors scored 15 runs on 14 hits which included four for extra bases
- Parker Frey led the way as the redshirt sophomore was 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored
- Senior Mike Kelly finished 2-for-3 with two walks, three RBI and two runs out of the leadoff spot while Rothenhausler went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a pair of runs
- Albus (1-for-2) registered his second home run of the season, three RBI and two runs scored, Hubbard was 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs and an RBI while Wall totaled three hits and two runs
Pitching Notables
- Gavin Sopko improved to 3-1 on the season as the freshman pitched 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on two hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts
- Freshman Carson Renner struck out a batter in an inning of relief while junior Caden Parker worked around a pair of base runners to record his ninth save of the year, which tied the single-season record held by Tyler Eckman since 2015
- In his fourth start of the season, Payton Brannock (4-1) collected his fourth victory as the freshman fired 5.0 innings, yielding one unearned run on three hits while punching out four Huskies
- Freshman Johansel Brito (one strikeout) and senior Jack Nielsen each pitched an inning out of the bullpen
How it Happened – ESU 5, Bloomsburg 3
ESU got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning when Rothenhausler delivered an RBI infield single with two outs to score Wall, who walked to lead off the game before advancing to second on a wild pitch.
The Warriors added one more run in the top of the second inning as a successful double steal by Zampella and Albus put the runners in scoring position, before Piatkiewicz lofted a sacrifice fly to left field to make the score 2-0.
In the bottom of the third inning, Hubbard came around to score following a leadoff single as he stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error before racing home on fielder's choice to give ESU a 3-0 lead.
ESU scored for the fourth straight inning as pair of runs on one hit increased the edge to 5-0 over the Huskies. Hubbard doubled down the left field line to plate Reilly, who led off with a walk, and Wall ultimately came around to score on a balk.
Bloomsburg broke a 17 inning scoreless streak in the bottom of the fourth as the Huskies used one hit and took advantage of an ESU error to plate a pair of runs. With a pair of runners in scoring position following a fielding miscue, a balk allowed Bloomsburg to score its first run of the series before a sacrifice fly from Josh Wilson cut the deficit to 5-2.
The Huskies wouldn't go down without a fight in their final at-bats as back-to-back singles to lead off the inning yielded one run before Parker slammed the door to make the final score 5-3 in favor of ESU.
How it Happened – ESU 15, Bloomsburg 3
In the bottom of the second inning, ESU grabbed a 4-0 lead as the Warriors used three hits and two walks to score four runs. Albus worked a bases loaded walk to drive in the game's first run and after the Huskies produced consecutive outs, Kelly cleared the bases with a double to left center field.
The Warriors extended the edge to 7-0 in the top of the third inning as Frey collected an RBI on a single before Albus followed with a two-run home run to right center field.
ESU hung another crocked number in the top of the fourth inning as the Warriors added five runs on three hits to increase their lead to 12-0. Hubbard was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to push across the first run and Rothenhausler cleared the bases on a double before ultimately coming around to score on a sacrifice fly from Frey.
The offensive onslaught continued in the top of the fifth inning as Rothenhausler collected an RBI on base hit before Frey singled home a pair to increase ESU's advantage to 15-0.
Bloomsburg scored their first run of the series finale in the home half of the inning and added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to make the final score 15-3.
Up Next
ESU is back in the Poconos on Tuesday for their final non-conference game of the regular season as the Warriors host Staten Island at 3 p.m. for a nine-inning affair.
