MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Gannon University baseball team lives to fight another day in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional despite dropping down to the loser's bracket after today's 14-6 loss to the East Stroudsburg Warriors (38-17 overall), the team that also eliminated the Golden Knights in the first round of this year's PSAC Tournament. The Knights (now 29-16 overall) face an elimination game against the University of Charleston on Friday, May 20 at 11:00 a.m. while ESU moves on to play the host team, Millersville University, in the second game of the doubleheader scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
 
Ian Hess (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) led Gannon with three hits and three runs scored on the day, with Brandon Wetherholt (Gibsonia, Pa./Mars Area) and Cameron Vozel (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) each adding a pair of hits. East Stroudsburg only notched one more hit (10) than Gannon's nine, but a combined 10 walks from the Knights' pitching staff provided all of the baserunners the Warriors needed. East Stroudsburg starting pitcher Chase Nowak improved his 2022 record to 9-0 after tossing five complete innings, allowing seven hits, three earned runs, and striking out three.
 
Gannon jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after singles from Vozel and Hess and a walk from Wetherholt loaded the bases. Jorge Mejia (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Colegio San Jose) drew another free pass to earn an RBI and make it 1-0, and that was followed up by a two-out, two-run double by designated hitter Jared Bielanin (Erie, Pa./McDowell) into the left field corner. Mejia rounded third and tried to sprint home to make it 4-0, but a decent relay from left field arrived at home plate before Mejia did to end the inning with a play at the plate.
 
East Stroudsburg responded by manufacturing a run in the top of the second inning after CJ Peechatka doubled to right center, advanced to third on an Anthony Torreulla groundout, and trotted home thanks to a sacrifice fly from Jack Rothenhausler to make it 3-1.

The Knights extended the lead in the third inning after scrapping together a strange series of events. Miguel Vega (Florida, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Ian Hess (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) singled to put two runners on. Vega took off on a stolen base attempt toward third base, and an errant throw by ESU catcher Tommy Ajjan into left field allowed Vega to score and Hess to advance to second base. Hess reached third base on a wild pitch and then Ryan Kalbfus (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) sent a deep fly ball to right field for the sacrifice fly and a 5-1 lead.
 
A nightmarish sixth inning—in which East Stroudsburg scored eight runs and faced three different Gannon pitchers—broke the game open in the Warriors' favor. Knights' starter Deven Judy (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon Area), one of the most prolific pitchers in Gannon history and the program's all-time wins leader with 21, gutted out five solid innings and entered the sixth with a 5-4 lead but was chased from the game after a trio of singles loaded the bases. East Stroudsburg would draw two walks and add three singles and a double off of relievers Jacob Visha (Cleveland, Ohio/Trinity) and Matthew Graeber (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan) to storm into the lead and take a commanding 12-5 advantage.
 
Gannon got back on the board in the seventh inning after the Hess and Wetherholt connection struck again, with Hess doubling down the left field line and Wetherholt smacking a single to center for his first RBI of the game. A two-run homer from ESU's Brainy Rojas in the top of the eighth propelled the Warriors to the eventual 14-6 victory.
 
Gannon only utilized two bullpen arms in the game and Friday's probable starter is graduate student Eric Sapp (Deerfield, Ohio/Southeast), who recently earned both NCBWA and D2CCA All-Atlantic Region First Team honors after his impressive 9-0 season with only a 2.47 ERA. The Golden Knights can stay alive in the Atlantic Regional tournament with a win over the University of Charleston, who lost to the hometown Millersville Marauders, 9-4, in the first game of the day.
 
The live broadcast of tomorrow's game can be watched HERE, with live stats available at this link beginning at 11:00 a.m. from Cooper Park in Millersville, Pa.