STROUDSBURG – The 17th-ranked East Stroudsburg University baseball team used a five-run second inning to defeat St. Thomas Aquinas, 5-3, on Tuesday afternoon at Creekview Park.
The Warriors improved to 31-9 overall with nine games remaining in the regular season, while the Spartans dropped to 10-27.
ESU, which finished the game with four hits, scored all five of its runs on one hit, four walks and a hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the second inning.
Batting Notables
- Redshirt sophomore Chaise Albus (1-for-5) drove in two runs with a single, while senior Dennis Pierce (one walk, one run), junior Shanley Wall (four walks, two stolen, bases) and junior Connor Reilly (two walks, one run) each recorded an RBI.
- Redshirt junior Walker Zampella finished 1-for-2 with two walks, two stolen bases and a run scored. Freshman Easton Albert was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run and freshman Ryan Manning was 1-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases.
- Redshirt junior Parker Frey scored a run and stole two bases
Pitching Notables
- Making the first start of his career, freshman Caden Leonard (1-0) earned his first collegiate victory after tossing 3.0 scoreless inning, allowing two hits and striking out one
- Caden Parker collected his seventh save of the season and program-leading 19th of his career, as the senior fired a clean ninth inning and struck out one
- Junior Ryan Dewees (1.0 inning, two strikeouts), freshman Ethan Woods (1.0 inning, one strikeout), sophomore Johansel Brito (1.0 inning), sophomore Jake Albert (1.0 inning, one strikeout) and freshman Greyson Norris (1.0 inning) all worked in relief for the Warriors. Dewees, Woods, Albert and Norris combined to limit the Spartans to just one hit.
How it Happened – ESU 5, STAC 2
ESU grabbed a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, using one hit, four walks and a hit-by-pitch to score five runs. Reilly drove in the game's first run with a bases-loaded walk. With two outs, Pierce was hit by a pitch and Wall drew another walk to make the score 3-0. Albus capped the scoring with a two-run double to right-center field.
STAC broke through in the top of the sixth inning, scoring two runs on four hits to cut the deficit to 5-2. Kyle DeCresce drove in the Spartans' first run with an RBI single, and with two outs, Tyler Haydt recorded an RBI base hit up the middle.
The Spartans pulled within two runs at 5-3 in the top of the seventh inning, as Ryan Appell drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs.
Up Next
ESU returns to PSAC East play on Friday as the Warriors travel to Kutztown for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. from the North Campus Baseball Field
