EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The 11th-ranked East Stroudsburg University baseball team extended its winning streak to six games with a doubleheader sweep of Mansfield on Thursday afternoon at Creekview Park. The Warriors won the opener 8-4 before shutting out the Mountaineers 10-0 in the nightcap.
ESU improved to 22-6 overall and 8-2 in the PSAC East, while Mansfield fell to 10-16 and 4-6 in conference play. The Warriors have now won 10 straight games against the Mounties dating back to 2022 and 15 of the last 16 since 2021.
Pierce Powers Warriors' Offense
Dennis Pierce led the way in Game 2, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, including a grand slam, and six RBIs.
Batting Notables
In Game 1, Pierce (one RBI, one run), Shanley Wall (one run), and Parker Frey (two runs) each went 2-for-4.
Christian Maccarone, Joel Bonner, Jack Rothenhausler, Walker Zampella, and Chaise Albus each recorded one hit and one RBI.
Francisco Taveras drove in two runs.
Pierce hit his eighth and ninth home runs of the season in Game 2, including ESU's first grand slam since Frey accomplished the feat on March 29.
Wall (one RBI, one walk) and Rothenhausler (two runs, one stolen base) each went 2-for-3.
Frey (one walk, one run) and Zampella (two walks, two runs) each finished 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Pitching Notables
Ryan Dewees (6-0) earned the win in Game 1, allowing one run on nine hits over four innings while striking out three.
Jake Albert tossed two scoreless innings in relief, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth with two strikeouts.
Andrew Gormley struck out two before Caden Parker recorded the final out.
Ethan Woods (4-1) picked up the win in Game 2, throwing four shutout innings and extending his scoreless streak to 11 innings.
Caden Leonard, Johansel Brito, and Jaden Newton each fired a scoreless inning in relief, combining for eight strikeouts.
Brito recorded an immaculate inning in his relief appearance, striking out the side on nine pitches. It was ESU's first immaculate inning since JP Nolan accomplished the feat against Gannon in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Game 1: How It Happened
ESU opened the scoring in the third inning with four consecutive singles to take a 2-0 lead. Maccarone drove in Pierce, and Rothenhausler followed with an RBI single to score Wall.
Mansfield cut the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth on an RBI groundout by Jeffrey Coakley. After two singles, the Mounties put runners in scoring position on a wild pitch but failed to capitalize.
ESU extended its lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth as Pierce doubled home Albus.
The Warriors added three runs in the fifth on two hits and three walks. Albus hit a sacrifice fly to score Jalen Soberal, and Taveras followed with a two-run single to make it 6-1.
ESU put the game out of reach in the sixth, as Bonner doubled in a run and Zampella followed with an RBI single for an 8-1 advantage.
Mansfield scored three runs in the seventh on RBI singles from Cole Serfass and Mike Biuso, making the final score 8-4.
Game 2: How It Happened
ESU jumped ahead early with a five-run second inning. Jackson Rutecki's fielder's choice plated the first run before Pierce launched a grand slam to left field.
The Warriors continued their offensive surge in the third, scoring four more runs on five hits. Consecutive doubles brought in Rothenhausler, followed by a Frey triple to score another. Pierce added an RBI single, and Wall capped off the inning with a run-scoring base hit for a 9-0 lead.
Pierce capped off his big day with a solo home run in the fifth, securing a 10-0 victory.
Up Next
ESU and Mansfield will conclude the PSAC East series Friday at Joseph Shaute Field with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
