SHIPPENSBURG – The 12th-ranked East Stroudsburg University baseball is off to its best 30-game start in program history as the Warriors completed the four-game sweep of Shippensburg on Saturday afternoon at Fairchild Field.
The Warriors, now 28-3 overall and 16-0 in the PSAC East, extend their program-record and nation's longest win streak to 25 games, stretched the school record for consecutive conference victories to 16 and have now swept six straight series dating back to March 4.
ESU found themselves trailing 5-0 after the second inning in game three but rallied to top Shippensburg, 10-8, before pulling away in the series finale with a 7-1 victory.
The Warriors earned their first-ever four-game sweep of Shippensburg in program history since the team's first meeting in 1927 and have now won nine straight meetings since 2022 and 13 of the last 15 games since 2021.
Batting Notables
- Sophomore Shanley Wall powered ESU offensively in the opener as he was 4-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored
- Senior Jeremy Piatkiewicz finished 3-for-6 with a three RBI and a run, while reinging PSAC East Co-Athlete of the Week Jack Rothenhausler went 2-for-6 across the doubleheader with three hit by pitches, two runs and an RBI
- Senior Mike Kelly (3-for-9) and redshirt sophomore Parker Frey (3-for-6, two walks) each totaled three hits while combining for five runs and four RBI
- As the designated hitter in the opener, Colin Houck went 1-for-2 with the game-tying home run, two walks, three RBI and a run scored
- In the series finale, Chaise Albus was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs, while Connor Reilly went 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored
- Redshirt senior Tim Haverstick and redshirt freshman Walker Zampella combined for three RBI and a pair of runs
- On the base paths, ESU finished the twin bill 5-for-6 on stolen base attempts
Pitching Notables
- In today's opener, Gavin Sopko yielded five runs on six hits across 3.0 innings as the freshman made his sixth start of the season
- Jaden Newton earned his first win of the year as the sophomore fired a clean inning out of the bullpen in the fourth
- Freshman Ryan Iberer (1.0 innings), senior Jack Nielsen (1.0 innings) and freshman Jake Albert (0.1 innings) appeared in relief for the Warriors
- Carson Renner nailed down his second save of the season as the freshman inherited a bases loaded situation before recording the final two outs
- Making his second career start in the series finale, Payton Brannock (3-0) was credited with the win as the freshman pitched 5.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out three Raiders
- Vincent Cenname notched his first career save at ESU as the redshirt senior recorded the final four outs, which included getting out of bases loaded circumstances in the bottom of the sixth inning
How it Happened – ESU 10, Shippensburg 8 (Game One)
Shippensburg jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as the Raiders used three hits and a walk to scratch across four runs. Austin Ball drove in a pair with a base hit, Carter Arbuthnot followed with an RBI single, and Mike Heckman plated the fourth run with a sacrifice fly.
The Raiders strung together a two-out rally in the bottom of the second inning to stretch their edge to 5-0 as Gio Calamia singled before Justin Byler doubled him home.
ESU finally broke through in the top of the third inning as the Warriors pushed across five runs on four hits to tie the score at 5-5. Wall singled through the left side to plate Kelly, who led off the frame with a double, before coming to score on an RBI base hit from Haverstick. Then with two outs and runners aboard, Houck belted a three-run home run to left field to knot it up.
In the top of the fifth inning, ESU took their first lead of the game at 7-5 as the Warriors manufactured two runs using two walks, a pair of hit by pitches and only one hit. Rothenhausler was plunked to leadoff the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch before coming around to score on an RBI double off the bat of Frey. After the Warriors loaded the bases with two outs, Piatkiewicz was hit by a pitch to score ESU's seventh run.
Shippensburg drew within one run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Heckman delivered a solo home run to left field to make the score 7-6 in favor of ESU.
ESU nearly put the game out of reach in their last at-bats as the Warriors added three runs to increase their lead to 10-6. With no outs and runners in scoring position, Piatkiewicz singled through the left side to plate
Troy Davis, who pinch ran following a leadoff walk to Houck. After the Raiders registered an out, Wall cleared the bases on a two-run single up the middle to give ESU a four-run advantage.
The Raiders made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning as they scored twice on four hits to ultimately bring the final score to 10-8. Arbuthnot singled through the left side with the bases loaded and Heckman reached on a fielder's choice to plate another run. With two outs and the tying run in scoring position, Renner induced a fly out to end the game.
How it Happened – ESU 7, Shippensburg 1 (Game Two)
ESU wasted no time grabbing the lead in the series finale as Kelly came around to score on an RBI single from Frey following leadoff double to put ESU ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
The Raiders tied the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning as Austin Baal homered to right field to begin the frame.
In the top of the fourth inning, ESU used a two-out rally to regain a 2-1 lead as Reilly kept the Warriors' at-bats alive with a walk, before stealing second and scampering home on single from Zampella.
The Warriors stretched their advantage to 4-1 in the top of the fourth as Albus and Reilly came around with two outs despite back-to-back singles to begin the inning. The duo moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt and after a pop out, Kelly delivered a bases clearing two-out single to put ESU ahead by three runs.
In ESU's final at-bat, the Warriors tacked on three more runs to make the final score 7-1 in their favor as Rothenhausler, Zampella and Piatkiewicz collected RBI.
Up Next
It's a quick turnaround for ESU as the Warriors return to Creekview Park on Tuesday for a non-conference game against Pace at 3 p.m.
