East Stroudsburg Clinches PSAC Baseball Championship
Boxscore
Courtesy of East Stroudsburg Sports Information
JOHNSTOWN - Senior Brian Ernst threw eight innings without allowing an earned run on just two days rest, and East Stroudsburg University used a five-run fifth inning to secure its first PSAC baseball championship since 1971 with a 7-1 win over defending champion West Chester on Saturday at Point Stadium.
The Warriors (33-16), who set a school record with their 33rd win, earned the PSAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament thanks in large part to an outstanding effort by Ernst, who was named the PSAC Tournament MVP.
ESU went 4-0 in the tournament with Ernst starting the opener on Wednesday against Gannon. He went 5.2 innings in an 8-5 win and was lifted after a lightning delay of four hours, 13 minutes which allowed him to return on short rest on Saturday.
Ernst led ESU offensively and on the mound, going 8-for-16 with two RBI and four runs scored at the plate, and threw 13.2 innings on the mound, allowing just four earned runs and striking out 13. He was 4-for-5 along with his 5.2 inning stint in the win over Gannon.
ESU will be included in the national field for the second time in three years when the NCAA Division II Tournament selections are announced on Sunday night at 10 p.m. on ncaa.com. The Warriors finished third in the Atlantic Region in 2011.
The six-team Atlantic Regional will begin on Friday at a site to be determined. Winston-Salem (CIAA) and Concord (WVIAC) received their conference's automatic bids, and Millersville and Seton Hill are expected to be included as well based on last week's regional rankings, leaving one at-large spot still available.
West Chester (25-24-1), the defending national champion, came up one game short of returning to the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Rams won two extra-inning games against Kutztown last Saturday to earn the PSAC East's fourth and final playoff spot, then went 3-0 this week before falling to the Warriors.
Ernst was the third straight ESU pitcher to go 8.0 innings as the Warriors won four games using just five pitchers. Junior Ryan Lubreski set ESU's single-season record for wins, improving to 8-0, in a 6-2 win over Millersville on Thursday night. Junior Matt Smith went 8.0 innings in a 7-4 win over California on Friday night to pitch ESU into the PSAC championship game.
Ernst, ESU's No. 1 starter and a three-time All-PSAC East utility selection, struck out nine and walked three against West Chester, getting better as the game went on. After walking two in the first inning, he threw 1-2-3 innings in the second, fourth and eighth and stranded nine of 10 WCU base runners.
After ESU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Ernst pitched around a leadoff double by Rob Lessig in the third by getting Chris Pula, 10-for-14 in his last three games, to fly out to right to end the threat.
In the fifth, he used two strikeouts to eliminate a leadoff single by Rob Spekhardt. West Chester scored an unearned run on two hits and an error in the sixth, but Ernst struck out Spekhardt with runners on first and second to get out of the inning.
WCU threatened again in the seventh, trailing 6-1, and Ernst got Pula out in a big spot again. The Golden Rams had runners on second and third with two outs, but junior CF Chris Knott ran down a fly ball to shut it down.
Ernst got two flyouts and his ninth strikeout of the game in the eighth, and turned it over to junior Keenan Stare for the ninth. Stare pitched in all four games, recorded two saves, and allowed just one hit in 5.0 innings. He struck out Jack Provine for the final out and started ESU's first PSAC championship celebration in 42 years.
Offensively, the Warriors got a first-inning lead for the second straight game when senior OF Eric Boyer hit a two-out single to left, stole second and scored on a base hit to center by junior DH Mike Tenaglia.
West Chester starter Connor Kerins, who was the starter and winning pitcher in West Chester's 2009 and 2012 PSAC tournament championships, retired ESU in order in the second and third innings, and got out of a huge jam in the fourth when ESU had three hits and a walk but made two outs on the base paths.
The game turned in the fifth, when the Golden Rams turned it over to All-PSAC East first team reliever Kyle Weary.
Junior SS Eric Linares battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a one-out walk from the No. 9 spot, senior 2BJoe Bennie waited out another walk and Ernst legged out an 80-foot single that found room between the first baseman, second baseman and pitcher to load the bases for Boyer.
Boyer, just 2-for-11 in the tournament but second in school history in career RBI, belted a two-run double to the wall in right field to score Linares and Bennie and give the Warriors a 3-0 lead. Tenaglia followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Ernst and move Boyer to third, and Knott reached on a throwing error by Weary on a chopper down the third base line with Boyer scoring on the play.
Junior catcher Eric Forth provided the final hit of the five-run inning, hitting a sinking liner to center that turned into his first career triple when Mike Raimo was unable to come up with a diving catch.
That was more than enough offense for Ernst, who held West Chester's first five hitters to 2-for-17 with three walks after they led the Golden Rams to a 14-8 win over Millersville on Friday night to reach the championship game.
ESU added an insurance run in the eighth when Forth led off with a single, redshirt sophomore OF Andy Brandstetter doubled down the line in right and Forth scored on a sacrifice fly by Linares.
ESU had 11 hits, five off Kerins and six off Weary, who both threw 4.0 innings.
Boyer was 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs from the No. 3 spot. Tenaglia was 2-for-3 with two RBI as the cleanup hitter and Forth was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run in the No. 6 hole.
GAME NOTES
* ESU won its fifth PSAC championship in school history and first since 1971. The Warriors won their second tournament championship - the 1971 tournament was only the second contested in the PSAC. ESU previously won championships under the Saylor Rating System in 1957, 1963 and 1969.
* The Warriors advanced with wins over Gannon (8-5), Millersville (6-2) and California (7-4), while West Chester has wins over California (5-0), Kutztown (3-0) and Millersville (14-8).
* ESU's previous team championship, the 2012 men's basketball title, also came against West Chester. The Warriors won 90-85 at WCU on Saturday, March 3, 2012.
* ESU was the No. 3 seed in the PSAC East, and West Chester was the No. 4 seed. The PSAC East went 4-0 in the first round of games against the PSAC West. California's 12-7 win over Kutztown on Friday morning was the only win for the PSAC West over the PSAC East. Eastern division schools were 6-1 against their western counterparts.
* Ernst has 82 strikeouts, the 2nd-most in school history, in 60.2 innings this season. He didn't pitch from March 2 to March 30 due to injury before returning to go 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA, .188 opponents average, 67 strikeouts, 18 walks and 33 hits allowed in 48.0 innings in the last six weeks.
* Ernst is 4th at ESU with 195 career strikeouts, and t-4th with 198 career hits. He is one of four PSAC players with 150 career strikeouts and hits in a career. He can become the first player with 200 strikeouts and 200 hits in the Atlantic Regional.
* In the PSAC Tournament, ESU hit .305 with a .365 on-base percentage, while holding its four opponents to a .228 average and .298 on-base percentage.
* Ernst hit .500 (8-for-16) with a .529 on-base percentage, a double, two RBI and four runs … Tenaglia hit .400 (6-for-15) with a .412 on-base percentage, six RBI and three runs … Boyer hit .400 (6-for-15) with a .471 on-base percentage, a double, two RBI and six runs … Forth hit .333 (5-for-15) with a .375 on-base percentage, a double, triple, two RBI and two runs … Knott hit .308 (4-for-13) with a .412 on-base percentage, two doubles, a triple, home run, five RBI and five runs (he was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, a home run and four RBI vs. Gannon) … Brandstetter hit .250 (2-for-8) with a .333 on-base percentage, a double and a run … Bennie hit .235 (4-for-17) with a .278 on-base percentage, double, two RBI and five runs … Fr. OF John Armbrust hit .200 (1-for-5) … Linares hit .154 (2-for-13) with a .250 on-base percentage, one RBI and three runs … R-Fr. 3B Drew Hercik hit .143 (2-for-14) with a .250 on-base percentage, a double and five RBI.
* ESU fielded .981 for the tournament, committing just three errors in four games. The Warriors had a .972 fielding percentage, in the top 10 in DII, entering the week.
* Lubreski allowed one earned run on 6 hits in 8.0 innings, struck out 4 and walked 3 in the 6-2 win over Millersville on Thursday.
* Smith allowed four earned runs on 8 hits in 8.0 innings, struck out 2 and didn't issue a walk in the 7-4 win over California on Friday.
* Stare pitched in all four games, going 5.0 innings and allowing 1 hit and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts. Jr.Colin Taylor threw 1.1 innings in relief of Ernst on Wednesday against Gannon, getting the final out of the 6th inning in a 4-4 game and allowing one run in the 7th after ESU took the lead with a four-run inning.
Senior P/1B Brian Ernst was named PSAC Tournament MVP, going 8.0 innings without allowing an earned run in the championship game on two days rest. He threw 5.2 innings in ESU's opening win over Gannon, and was 8-for-16 at the plate.
Brian Ernst struck out 9 in ESU's win over West Chester and has 82 strikeouts, 2nd-most in school history, in 60.2 innings this season. He ranks 4th on ESU's career list with 195, and tied for 4th on the career hits list with 198.
ESU and WCU to Play for 2013 PSAC Baseball Championship Crown
Johnstown, Pa. – Day three of the 2013 PSAC Baseball Championship in Johnstown, Pa. at Point Stadium determined the Championship game match-up between East Stroudsburg and West Chester that will be played at 1:00 p.m. in a one-game winner-take all contest.
California took a 12-7 win over the Golden Bears in the morning’s 8:30 a.m. game that experienced a rain delay in the sixth inning. Vulcan Kyle Petty went 4-5 including two triples and a homerun to drive-in a total four runs while crossing the plate on four occasions.
It took a full nine innings for Millersville to defeat the never-give-up Knights 6-5. Gannon was down 5-1 heading into the ninth before a Nico Baldelli ripped a ground-rule double down the right field line to plate two Knights. Aaron Cox plated two runs to tie things up at five with a single to right center on the next at bat with Adam Zipko replacing Chris Murphy on the mound. The Marauders however refused to let the game slip through their fingers, as the leadoff batter, Tyler Orris, worked the count for four straight balls to get aboard for free. Orris stole second, was advanced to third by a sacrifice bunt and was singled home by Zach Stone two batters later to win the game.
In game three of the day East Stroudsburg’s
Matt Smith went eight innings on the mound and ESU answered a three-run sixth inning with three of its own, earning a 7-4 win over California and a spot in Saturday's PSAC championship game on Friday at Point Stadium. ESU moves to 32-16 on the season, which ties the school record for wins, will play for their fifth PSAC championship in school history and first since 1971. The conference champion will receive the PSAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament, one of six spots in the Atlantic Regional.
The Golden Rams knocked-off the Millersville Marauders in a four-hour hit-fest that saw both squads combine for 30 hits in order to advance to the championship game. West Chester earned the 14-6 win over Millersville and will look to become the first back-to-back conference champions since Kutztown turned the trick in 2005 and 2006. The Golden Rams’ seven previous conference crowns is third most in the PSAC.
DAY TWO
Johnstown, Pa. – Day two of the 2013 PSAC Baseball Championship in Johnstown, Pa. at Point Stadium wrapped-up on Thursday, May 9, with West Chester and East Stroudsburg as the only remaining unbeaten clubs.
In the day’s first game, originally scheduled for Wednesday evening but postponed due to rain and lightning, Millersville posted a 5-0 victory over Slippery Rock. Tim Mayza surrendered only one hit over the first six innings and out-dueled Lou Trivino, who had not allowed a run in 22.2 consecutive innings prior to the game. Mayza struck out six and walked only one. Millersville received two hits and two RBIs from
Jeremy Musser, two hits from
Dan Johnson and
Kurt Seiders, and RBIs from
Jeff Heisey,
Tyler McDonald and
Tyler Orris. Slippery Rock will now play Gannon at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Mercyhurst dropped out of PSAC Champion contention with an 8-6 loss to the Vulcans of California (Pa.). The nearly three hour affair saw Kyle Petty, the West’s Athlete of the Year, grabbed two hits including a RBI double in the first inning. Petty drove-in a run later in the game while also crossing the plate on three occasions to contribute to the win.
The day’s third game saw off-and-on rain showers with Gannon prevailing over Slippery Rock 9-3 in an elimination game. Gannon saw a standout performance from Nico Baldelli, an All-Conference selection at catcher. He went 5-of-5 at the plate with four RBI, including scoring the game winning run off Aaron Cox’s three-run round-tripper in the fifth inning.
Kutztown fell to West Chester 3-0 in the day’s fourth game and will now play California at 8:30 a.m. on Friday morning rather than the originally scheduled 9:30 a.m. start time due to a poor weather forecast.
West Chester saw another great performance from Chris Pula, as the third baseman extended his PSAC tournament-hitting streak from the previous night, where he notched five straight against California, to eight consecutive hits before snapping the streak on a fly to center.
In the nightcap, with the early morning victory over Slippery Rock the Marauders advanced to face East Stroudsburg. ESU was able to manufacturer a 6-2 victory behind the pitching effort of Ryan Lubreski. He hurled over 130 pitches in eight complete innings while striking out four and allowing just six Millersville hits.
Millersville will now play Gannon in an elimination game following the 8:30 a.m. Cal vs. Kutztown game. The winner of the Millersville vs. Gannon match will play West Chester, while the Cal vs. Kutztown victor will face East Stroudsburg.
DAY ONE
Johnstown, Pa. – The 2013 PSAC Baseball Championship tournament saw a three of its four scheduled Wednesday games finish with Kutztown, West Chester, and East Stroudsburg taking wins at Point Stadium in Johnstown, Pa.
Kutztown downed Mercyhurst 6-1 in the first game of the day led by the pitching efforts of Brandon Shimo. In nine innings, Shimo allowed just four hits with one strikeout. He threw 90 pitches, retired the final 13 batters of the game, and only allowed multiple batters to reach base in one inning.
Kutztown advances to play West Chester, who downed California 5-0. Joe Gunkel pitched his third straight shutout in the playoffs, dating back to last season, while increasing his postseason consecutive scoreless innings streak to 30. Gunkel has not been scored upon since Mercyhurst plated a run in the sixth inning of a PSAC Tournament game last year. Gunkel improved to 4-0 all-time in the playoffs with a 0.25 ERA. He has allowed just 18 hits and walked just five batters in 36 postseason innings.
On offense, Chris Pula went 5-for-5 with a pair of RBI and a pair of runs scored. Pula singled home the game-winning run in the first inning before crossing the plate later in the inning. In the third, Pula knocked a solo homerun into left center.
The East Stroudsburg versus Gannon game that began at 3:30 p.m. endured a rain and lighting delay of 4 hours and 13 minutes. At the time of delay the game was tied 4-4 in six innings, but ESU was able to come back after the delay and take an 8-5 win.
After the delay, ESU scored four runs in the top of the seventh, all with two outs. Senior Brian Ernst, senior Eric Boyer and junior Mike Tenaglia all singled, and junior Chris Knott dealt the big blow with a three-run homer to left-center.
Due to the rain delay on Wednesday evening and the postponing of the SRU vs. MIL game, all games for Thursday have been shift back an hour and 30 minutes. Mercyhurst and Cal will play at 11:00 a.m., Gannon and the loser of the SRU vs. MIL game will play at 2:00 p.m., Kutztown and West Chester will square-off at 5:00 p.m., with ESU and the winner between The Rock and Marauders scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SLATE DETERMINED
Lock Haven, Pa. – With the final regular season PSAC games finished, the 2013 PSAC Baseball Championship field is set with California (Pa.) and Millersville heading their respective divisions.
The four-day championship is a double-elimination tournament to be held from May 8-11, at Point Stadium in Johnstown, Pa.
In the first round of games, West's No. 3 Mercyhurst will battle East's No. 2 Kutztown. No. 1 Cal will face the East's No. 4 seed West Chester. The West's No. 2 seed Gannon will play againt the East's No. 3 East Stroudsburg. The final first-round game is the West's No. 4 Slippery Rock battling against the East's top seed Millersville.
Please refer to the above bracket for information regarding field locations and times for games.