East Stroudsburg, Pa. - (3/8/2021) – Chestnut Hill College and East Stroudsburg University (ESU) opened their respective 2021 seasons with a pair of tight contests as the Griffins and Warriors split today's twin-bill with a pair of one-run games. The Scarlet and Gold was the victor in the opener, getting big fifth-inning hits from senior second baseman Ameir Uzzell (Levittown, Pa.) and junior first baseman Andrew Dietz (Warrington, Pa.), before a clutch relief performance from junior Will Shaffer (Sicklerville, N.J.) secured a 5-4 final. The fifth inning was the deciding frame in the second game as well, but this time the Warriors scored the winning run thanks to a lead-off triple and its supportive run-scoring single, 3-2.
Dietz and sophomore designated hitter Corbin Dunnuck (Mohnton, Pa.) each had a pair of hits in first game for Chestnut Hill College (1-1). The former (2-for-3, 1R, 2RBI) homered to tie the game in the second inning, 1-1, while the latter (2-for-3, 2RBI) singled in the Griffins' go-ahead runs in the third inning, 3-1. The Warriors tied the contest in the bottom of the frame, 3-3, requiring singles from Dietz and Uzzell to score a pair of Scarlet and Gold runs in the top of the fifth inning, 5-3. Shaffer came in the contest with the bases full of Warriors in the bottom of the seventh inning. He secured the save, allowing only one ESU run with a strikeout, a squeeze bunt, and a grounder back to the mound, 5-4. Junior Billy Bethel (Yardley, Pa.) collected the win (1-0) with a four-inning start (4.0IP, 4H, 3R, 2BB, 6K) in the scheduled bullpen affair.
In the second game, ESU clung to two first-inning runs before a pair of one-out walks, a run-scoring single from junior centerfielder John Contoudis (Jenkintown, Pa.) (1-for-3, 1RBI), and a wild pitch knotted the contest in the top of the fifth inning, 2-2. Unfortunately, The Warriors bounced back in the bottom of the frame, capitalizing on a lead-off triple with the follow up single, 3-2. Dietz (1-for-3) and Dunnuck (1-for-3) each had a hit, while freshman right fielder Anthony Coombs (Bridgeton, N.J.) accounted for the fourth Griffin hit with his two-out single in the second inning. Junior Thomas Hughes (Phoenixville, Pa.) and senior Zack Szumigala (Fairless Hills, Pa.) split the six innings for the Scarlet and Gold. The former (3.0IP, 4K) allowed two runs on two hits and four walks, while the latter (3.0IP, 3K) took the loss (0-1) with one run allowed on three hits and a walk.
Chestnut Hill College returns to East Stroudsburg University on Wednesday, March 10, for a nine-inning contest. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
