SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — In a dramatic extra-innings game to begin the PSAC Quarterfinals, the ESU baseball team walked it off against Gannon, winning 3-2 in 11 innings.
PITCHING NOTABLES
- Cole Dymek had the best outing of his career, pitching 5.0 IP in relief. He only gave up four base runners total, striking out five. Before today, the longest he's pitched this season was 3.0 IP against Mansfield, and his previous career-long was 4.0 IP last season versus Southern New Hampshire.
- Ryan Dewees started the tournament for the Warriors, going 5.1 IP. He limited Gannon to just two runs, working around seven hits.
- Johansel Brito picked up the win, his fourth of the season. He only had to get through the final two outs of the 11th inning, getting a strikeout and a flyout.
BATTING NOTABLES
- For the second time this season, Easton Albert came through late in the game with a walk-off base hit. His only hit of the day came when it mattered most, scoring one of ESU's other two runs after he got on base via a base on balls.
- Ryan Manning came up clutch for the Warriors as well, entering the game in the sixth inning. He delivered with a pinch-hit solo home run, his fourth of the season.
- Troy Davis and Connor Reilly each reached base safely three times in five times up to the plate. Davis went 3-5 and scored Albert, while Reilly went 2-4 with a walk.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Golden Knights struck first and early, getting through to Dewees in the top of the first inning. Hunter Troiano doubled into right field. With two outs in the inning, Wes Parker singled through the right side, driving home Troiano to open the scoring. Dewees would strike out Cainen Atherton to end the inning, his lone strikeout of the day.
- ESU had a chance to get on the board in the bottom of the second, as Gannon's starter Ryan Hood walked Parker Frey, Christian Maccarrone, and Reilly before recording an out. Albert hit a liner back at Hood, which he knocked down. Frey had to hold up at third since Hood nearly caught it, as Gannon got the first out with a fielder's choice force out at the plate. Condeelis went down looking at an outside pitch, and the Golden Knights escaped the inning after a pop-out once the lineup turned over.
- Gannon chased Dewees out of the game in the top of the sixth, as Matt Smith sent the first pitch he saw over the right-center field wall to make it 2-0. Parker then doubled down the right field wall, leading the Warriors to call in Dymek. He stranded Parker at second, striking out Ian Soto and ending the inning with a flyout.
- The Warriors got on the board in the bottom half of the inning, as Manning pinch hit for Maccarrone with two outs. In a 1-0 count, Manning crushed a ball well past the 400-feet sign on the center field wall, getting ESU on the board in emphatic fashion.
- After a clean top of the seventh by Dymek, the Golden Knights brought in Jacob Engel for Hood. Albert got on base with a base on balls after a nine-pitch at-bat, moving into scoring position after Condeelis grounded out to third base. Now with two outs, Davis singled over the shortstop into left field, tying the game as Albert made it home.
- Gannon would get the only two base runners over the next two innings, but Dymek stranded both of them to force extra innings. The Golden Knights led off the 11th with another Matt Smith extra-base hit, this time hitting a double to center field. Dymek struck out Nick Walker in his last batter faced, with ESU bringing in Brito to finish the inning. He battled back from a 3-0 count, striking out Soto before Atherton would fly out to end the inning.
- Cole Serfass started the inning by drawing an eight-pitch walk to give the Warriors a leadoff base runner. Frey laid down a bunt to move Serfass to second, and after Manning was intentionally walked to put a runner on first base, Reilly came up to the plate. He hit a line drive just over the shortstop, but both runners could only advance one base, loading them for Albert. With a 2-2 count, Albert drove a ball past the shallow infield, advancing the Warriors to the conference semifinals.
GAME NOTES
- This was the fourth walk-off win for the Warriors this season, their third against a conference opponent. The previous walk-offs came against Saint Anselm on Feb. 27, Millersville on March 21, and Shippensburg on April 18.
SCOUTING MILLERSVILLE
- The Marauders have gone 2-0 so far in the PSAC Tournament, defeating California, 5-3, yesterday, then beating Seton Hill, 16-4, in the game after the Warriors' today.
- The two teams split their regular-season series this year, with each team winning both home games.
- The squads are also tied in the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings, both in third place.
- Millersville's bats have plenty of power, led by Matthew Williams and Jimmy Kirk. Those two have OPS' of 1.066 and 1.056, respectively, as Williams was also the DH on the All-PSAC East Second Team.
- Brady Ebbert is the Marauders' third batter slugging over .500 with a .507 SLG%. Those three have combined for 29 of Millersville's 41 home runs.
- After using Alex Kuehn against California and Eli Simonton today versus Seton Hill, that leaves Rece Ritchey and Matt Shamany available as starters. Ritchey has gone 4-1, the best winning percentage of Millersville's starters, throwing 51.1 IP for a 3.33 ERA, the second best in the Marauders' rotation. Against ESU, he only made it 4.2 IP, allowing three earned runs on five hits and three walks, though he did strike out seven.
- Shamany pitched in the other ESU win over Millersville in March, falling in a 1-0 game that went the Warriors' way. He allowed the game's only run in a 5.1 IP outing where he gave up four hits and two walks with six strikeouts. On the season, he's gone 5-4 with a 3.29 ERA. His .211 batting average against is the best of Millersville's starters.
UP NEXT
The Warriors and Marauders will open the day tomorrow at Slippery Rock with their semifinal game at 11 a.m.
