ALLENTOWN – The 25th-ranked East Stroudsburg University baseball team flexed its muscles on a beautiful Thursday at Coca-Cola Park, home of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, as the Warriors combined for 22 runs on 34 hits in 13-5 & 9-5 victories over Kutztown (16-32, 9-21) in a PSAC East doubleheader.
ESU inched closer to clinching their first PSAC East regular season title in program history as the Warriors improved to 37-9 overall and 25-5 in the conference headed into tomorrow's regular season finale.
Batting Notables
- Jack Rothenhausler recorded his ninth and 10th multi hit games of the season as the junior was 5-for-9 with two doubles, two RBI and four runs across the twin bill
- Catching both games of the doubleheader, Tim Haverstick finished 5-for-8, which included going 4-for-5 in the opener, with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored
- Redshirt freshman Walker Zampella had himself day after going 5-for-7 with three doubles and a triple, six RBI, three runs and a stolen base
- Mike Kelly had a productive day out of the leadoff spot as the senior went 4-for-7 with a triple, three RBI, two runs and a stolen base
- Sophomore Shanley Wall was 4-for-7 with an RBI and a run while senior Jeremy Piatkiewicz add two hits and an RBI
- Redshirt freshman Chaise Albus finished 3-for-7 with a home run, two walks, one RBI and four runs while Parker Frey (3-for-9) totaled three hits, three runs and a pair of RBI
- In game two, Cameron Hubbard went 2-for-4 with second home run of the season, two RBI and two runs scored
Pitching Notables
- Despite surrendering five runs (four earned) on seven hits across 4.2 innings pitched to go along with four strikeouts, redshirt senior Brent Francisco improved to 10-1 on the season and collected his 28th career victory to move into first all-time in program history. Additionally, the Burlington Township, N.J. native continued to extend his school record marks for strikeouts (313) and innings pitched (276.1).
- Carson Renner was credited with his third save of the season in the opener as the freshman fired 2.1 scoreless innings in relief while striking out a pair
- Ryan Dewees nearly went the distance to remain a perfect 7-0 on the year as the sophomore tossed 6.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits to go along with two punchouts
- Fellow classmate Jaden Newton recorded the final two outs in the night cap
How it Happened – ESU 13, Kutztown 5
ESU jumped on Kutztown in the top of the first inning as the Warriors pushed across three runs on four hits to take a 3-0 lead. Rothenhausler, Frey and Haverstick each drove in a run with RBI singles.
The Warriors added one more run to their advantage in the top of the second inning as Zampella led off with a bunt single, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout before racing home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kelly.
Kutztown cut their deficit in half in the home half of the inning as Antonio Russillo knocked in the Golden Bears' first run with an RBI single, before Joey Pettinelli followed with a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-2.
With two outs in the top of the third inning, ESU got the two runs right back as Albus delivered a solo home run to right field before Piatkiewicz singled home Zampella, who tripled to right center field.
The back and forth continued in Kutztown's next at-bats as the Golden Bears drew back within two runs at 6-4 following a two-run home run from Jimmy Kerley.
Kutztown continued to chip away in the bottom of the fifth inning as Kerley produced an RBI single to left field to pull the Golden Bears within one run at 6-5.
ESU responded in the top of the sixth inning with six runs on six hits to regain a seven-run lead at 12-5 over Kutztown. Zampella highlighted the frame with a two-run double while Wall, Frey, Haverstick and Kelly each collected an RBI on a base hit.
The Warriors took advantage of a two-out error by Kutztown in the top of the seventh inning as pinch runner
Jack Mathis came around to score following a fielding miscue by the Golden Bears to make the final score 13-5.
How it Happened – ESU 9, Kutztown 5
With two outs in the top of the second inning, Zampella delivered a two-run double to plate Rothenhausler and Albus, which gave ESU a 2-0 lead.
The Golden Bears trimmed the deficit to 2-1 with two outs in the home half off the inning as Rosillo belted a solo home run to right field.
ESU got the run right back in the top of the third inning despite making a pair of outs on the base paths as Hubbard kept the frame alive with a single before advancing all the way to third on a wild pitch and ultimately scoring on an RBI double from Rothenhausler.
The Warriors added a run to their lead in the top of the fourth inning as Kelly's RBI single to score Albus put ESU ahead 4-1.
ESU nearly put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh inning as the Warriors exploded for five runs on six hits to stretch their edge to 9-1. Hubbard got the scoring started with a two-run home run before Haverstick and Zampella each drove in a pair of runs with doubles.
Kutztown wouldn't go down without a fight in their last at-bats as the Golden Bears pushed across four runs on two hits, a trio of hit by pitches and a walk to make the final score 9-5 in favor of the Warriors.
Up Next
ESU returns to Creekview Park tomorrow to conclude the regular season with a twin bill against the Golden Bears at 1 p.m.
