Mehki Williams
Sports Editor
It’s been 37 days since the ESU men’s baseball team lost a game! The Warriors defeated St. Thomas Aquinas, 10-1, on Sunday for a program-record 16 straight wins.
February 18 was the last time the Warriors lost a game. The previous program record was set by the 2022 team, they won 15 straight games. Through 22 games, the Warriors are 19-3 and 10-0 at home.
With the win against St. Thomas Aquinas on Sunday, ESU completed their fourth series sweep of the season.
The squad has been hitting the ball spectacularly since the start of the season. Sunday was a statement showing teams in the PSAC that the Warriors’ time is now.
ESU made an immediate impact against St. Thomas Aquinas and took a dominant 6-0 lead in only the first inning of the contest. Jack Rothenhausler continues to impress, recording a two-run single with the bases loaded. Outfielder Cameron Hubbard darted home on the play.
In the bottom of the second inning, sophomore Parker Frey scored on an RBI groundout by Zampella, giving ESU a 7-0 advantage over St. Thomas Aquinas.
ESU held the Spartans scoreless through the first two innings. In the top of the third inning, David Potenza gave the Spartans a much-needed spark with a base hit. Gregory DiGaro’s RBI single late in the third inning would put St. Thomas Aquinas on the scoreboard.
The Warriors absolutely handled business for the rest of the contest. A fielding error by the Spartans allowed Rothenhausler to score in the bottom of the fourth inning, increasing ESU’s lead to 8-1.
STAC was never able to recover from the six runs they gave up to the Warriors in the first inning. ESU’s stellar defense has held the Spartans scoreless since the third inning.
Rothenhausler flew out to right field in the bottom of the 7th inning but helped Mike Kelly drive in another run to put the nail in the coffin.
Sophomore Tanner Vicendese’s pinch-hit single in the bottom of the eighth inning drove in the Warriors’ last run of the game.
Freshman Gavin Sopko (2-0) threw a perfect game for the Warriors on Sunday. In his second win of his collegiate career, Sopko recorded six strikeouts to make history for the ESU men’s baseball program.
The eighth-inning performance by Peyton Brannock was solid, allowing no walks and three strikeouts. He is another freshman on the squad that has helped propel the Warriors to their most winning season.
Veteran hurler Jack Nielson fanned out in St. Thomas Aquinas’ final at-bat
Among a talented group of players, John Kochmansky has done nothing short of an amazing job as head coach. In his 17 season coaching the Warriors, he has made ESU the biggest threat in the PSAC but also a current frontrunner as one of the top teams in the country.
Considering the Warriors’ unexpectedly red-hot March, the team understands that it is championship or bust this season. ESU looks to maintain its status as the best team in the PSAC for the remainder of the year.
ESU will try to win 17 straight games at Creekview Park at 3:00 p.m. today against Queens College.
Email Mehki at:
mwillia118@live.esu.edu
