ESU-Shippensburg Baseball

EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, three with two outs, to beat Shippensburg, 6-5, Saturday and finish the baseball season with a winning record at 27-26.

Shippensburg won the first game of the season-ending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference doubleheader, 7-5, in eight innings.

Behind 5-1, the ESU offense finally got rolling in their last time at bat. Roger Green singled to centerfield, and Tadgh LaBar knocked him in with a triple to right center. LaBar scored on Brett Reynolds' subsequent groundout to short.

After Matt James grounded out for the second out of the inning, Matt Harmic and Joe Sobeski hit back-to-back singles. Ryan Hatfield and Steve Harris then were both hit by pitches, making the score 5-4.

Joseph Ricchini came in for reliever Adam Winters, and Anthony Piazza promptly drilled his second offering into centerfield for a single, knocking in both pinch-runner Rick Neidermyer and Hatfield for the victory.

Reliever Craig Whitten pitched two-thirds of an inning to get the victory in relief of starter Mike Pavolko, who was seeking a school-record eighth win. Pavolko got the first out of the seventh inning and then left the game to a standing ovation by his teammates, coaches and fans.

In the first game, ESU scored five runs on five hits off of starter Mike Tandlmayer in the first inning to grab a 5-2 lead. But reliever Jay Grant pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up just six hits and striking out eight to earn the victory.

Shippensburg won the game in the eighth inning on Joe Kitt's two-run single to rightfield. A walk and a two-base error had put runners on second and third base.

Hatfield was the offensive star of the day for ESU, going 4 for 7 with two runs and one RBI. Sobeski was 3 for 7 with two runs, and Piazza was 3 for 6 with four RBIs.

The split enabled the Warriors to finish their conference season at 12-12, good for third place in the seven-team division. They beat every team in the division at least once. Shippensburg already has clinch a PSAC playoff berth and is 27-18 overall and 17-5 in PSAC play.

(first game)

Shippensburg 220 100 02 7-11-0

East Stroudsburg 500 000 00 5-11-3

Mike Tandlmayer, Jay Grant (1) and Jeremy Glessner; Mike Zimorowicz, Mike Pavolko (8) and Joe Sobeski. WP - Grant, LP - Zimorowicz

3B - SH, Jamie Eichelberger, Bobby Knox

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(second game)

Shippensburg 104 000 0 5 6 0

East Stroudsburg 000 001 5 6-11-2

Richie Rodarmel, Adam Winters (5), Joseph Ricchini (7) and Glessner; Pavolko, Craig Whitten (7) and Sobeski. WP - Whitten, LP - Winters

2B - SH - Paul Abraham; ES, Anthony Piazza

3B - ES, Tadgh LaBar

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