STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Easton Albert played hero as the ESU baseball team swept Shippensburg with 7-5 and 4-3 wins on Saturday at Creekview Park. The Warriors improved 27-12 overall and 14-6 in conference, moving into a tie for first place in the PSAC East.
PITCHING NOTABLES
- Caden Leonard picked up the win in the first game today, going 4.1 IP. In his longest outing of the season, the relief pitcher improved to 2-0 while keeping the Raiders off the scoreboard as he struck out three.
- Peyton Brannock got the start in game two for ESU, throwing six strong innings. He kept the game within reach for the Warriors, only allowing three earned runs as he struck out two batters.
- Johansel Brito earned the win with a shutout seventh inning, improving to 2-1. He struck out two batters and stranded a runner on a walk.
BATTING NOTABLES
- Albert was the storyline late in the game, delivering both of his RBI in his last two at-bats of the day. Albert finished the second game 2-4, walking twice and scoring twice as well.
- Parker Frey was ESU's offensive engine all day long, going 4-5 during the doubleheader. He scored two runs in each game, drawing two bases on balls in the second half of the day. All four of his hits went for doubles, too.
GAME ONE
- The Raiders jumped out to an early lead, putting up three runs on ESU's starter, Evan Hughes. AJ Wenrich opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the top of the first, and then Evan Shoffler and Jake Pope strung together consecutive one-out singles to put runners on first and second base. A fielder's choice retired Pope, but moved Shoffler to third base, leading to Thomas Cano-Piszel singling for Shippensburg's third run of the game.
- After the first three batters were put out in order in the top of the first, the Warriors' bats came alive for a five-run second inning. Serfass and Frey started the inning with a single and a double, respectively, bringing up Frantz. In a full count, he singled to right-center to get the Warriors on the board. Later, with one out, Albert hit a chopper that the third baseman couldn't handle, scoring Frey. Condeelis and Hubbard both drew bases on balls, the latter adding another run. Davis hit a grounder to the shortstop in the next at-bat, but Hubbard's slide broke up the double play chance, allowing Albert to score. Now, with runners on the corners, Davis stole second base, advancing to third and allowing Condeelis to score as the throw down went into center field, giving ESU a 5-3 lead.
- Shippensburg tied things up in the next inning, scoring a pair of runs in a two-out rally. Hughes walked the first two base runners in nine- and six-pitch at-bats. Shoffler drove in both runners with a single to right-center field, as Leonard would come in to end the inning.
- Getting the Warriors back out in front, Zampella had Hubbard on third base with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. He hit a ball into the gap in right-center field, racing all the way around the bases for an RBI triple. ESU doubled its lead next time up in the bottom of the fifth, with Frey doubling down the right field line to start the inning. He stole third base with one out, coming home after Reilly flew out to deep center field.
- Leonard was steady throughout his whole time on the mound, working through a leadoff single in the top of the seventh. He got a Wenrich to ground into a 5-4-3 double play, then Ty Sherman to ground out to Condeelis at third base again for the game's final out.
GAME TWO
- Similar to how ESU, as the road team, scored in both first innings of yesterday's doubleheader, Shippensburg hit another two-run home run in the top of the first. Cano-Piszel sent one over the wall in the second at-bat of the game, giving the Raiders an early 2-0 lead.
- Zampella led off the bottom of the third with a single into left field, giving Serfass a base runner with nobody out. He made it to third base during the at-bat, stealing second and taking advantage of another errant throw that went into the outfield. Serfass drove a ball into the outfield that held up, but gave Zampella the chance to tag up and score, making it 2-1.
- The Raiders got the run back in the top of the fifth, doing their damage with two outs. Mason Morris doubled off the wall in left-center field, and Cano-Piszel hit a line drive just over Zampella's glove at second base, putting the Raiders back up by two.
- Brady Kain kept ESU's lineup quiet for most of the second game, but a leadoff double by Frey would chase him from the game, with the Raiders bringing in Jack Robinson. In a 0-1 count, Frantz swapped places with Manning by doubling to right-center field, making it a one-run game. Ryan Manning pinch-ran for Frantz, tagging up on a flyout by Reilly to advance to third. Albert lifted a single into the outfield in the next at-bat, tying the game, but ESU would leave the bases loaded heading into a tied seventh inning.
- After a scoreless top of the seventh pitched by Brito, ESU just needed one run to leave the series with a sweep. Frey reached base with a one-out walk, staying at first base until Reilly came up. He hit a line drive to center field that the outfielder misjudged, stepping back at first, allowing Frey to make it to third base. With Albert now up to bat, he drove a liner up the middle, walking off the game for the Warriors.
GAME NOTES
- This marks the second time in series history that the Warriors have completed a four-game sweep of the Raiders. The only other previous time was two years ago in 2024.
- Albert's single gave ESU its third walk-off win of the year.
UP NEXT
The Warriors travel to Orangeburg, N.Y., next week for a non-conference matchup against St. Thomas Aquinas. First pitch against the Spartans is set for 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21.
