BB3-23

ESU Baseball

FORT MYERS, Fla. - East Stroudsburg University's baseball team ended its week-long Florida trip on a disappointing note Thursday with a pair of losses to Franklin Pierce, 4-2, and Slippery Rock, 7-5.

The Warriors are now 7-7 and will open their home season Sunday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Lock Haven on Mitterling Field.

Righthander Chris Shank pitched Franklin Pierce to the first game win, allowing seven hits while striking out six batters and walking none. The Ravens (4-5) scored two runs in the first inning on Mal Higgins' single and two more runs in the fifth.

Behind 4-1, the Warriors threatened in the seventh inning as singles by Ryan Hatfield, Steve Harris and Joe Sobeski and Tadgh LaBar's sacrifice fly produced one run, but Shank got a fly ball for the final out.

Hatfield and Scott Roth were both 2 for 3 for ESU. Losing pitcher Dallas Erle allowed only six hits and two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings.

In the second game, Slippery Rock won its third game over ESU in two days as Dan DeCola hit two doubles and drove in two runs and Greg Stokes had a triple and a single and also had two RBIs.

ESU scored five runs in the first three innings, but then was held hitless for the last four innings by righthander Jonathan Weber, who retired the last ten batters in order.

LaBar tripled and scored a first-inning run. Joe Sobeski had a double and Hatfield, Ryan Conrad and Brett Reynolds all singles in a three-run rally in the second. Then singles by Matt Harmic and Anthony Piazza set up a run in the third for a 5-3 lead. Harmic was 2 for 3.

The Rock (10-4) won the game with a three-run burst in the fourth inning. Stokes drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a single.

(first game)

Franklin Pierce (4-5) 200 020 0 4-6-0

East Stroudsburg (7-6) 000 100 1 2-7-2

Chris Shank and Al Medeiros; Dallas Erle, Gordy Kocher (7) and Rick Neidermyer,

Matt James (5). LP - Erle

3B - ES, Ryan Hatfield

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(second game)

East Stroudsburg (7-7) 131 000 0 5-8-0

Slippery Rock (10-4) 300 310 x 7-10-0

Jason Tribbet and Joe Sobeski; Jonathan Weber and Luke Mollis

2B - ES, Joe Sobeski; SR, Dan DeCola 2, Joe Sikorski

3B - SR, Greg Stokes