Butler, Pa. - The Millersville baseball team scored at least one run in each of the first six innings and rolled into the PSAC Tournament semifinals with a 15-8 victory over East Stroudsburg Monday in Butler, Pa. Among the Marauders' 19 hits were two from
Tyler Orris, which pushed his career total to 268 and to the top of the Millersville record books.
Mitch Stoltzfus totaled four hits to set a new single season hits record at 81.
The Marauders (46-4), who scored 22 runs on 18 hits in Sunday's opener, scored double-digit runs for the 20th time in 50 games and topped nine runs for the sixth consecutive game. Each of the first six batters in the Marauder lineup produced at least two hits and all nine starters had at least one.
The runs came early and often. Orris led off the game with a walk,
Dan Neff followed with a single, and following a sacrifice bunt from
Chas McCormick,
Dan Stoltzfus,
Mitch Stoltzfus and
Jeremy Musser delivered three consecutive RBI singles.
David Summerfield drove in a run to cap a five-run first. Millersville bounced ESU starter Tyler Eckman (5-5) after 2 1/3 innings and built a 9-3 lead after three.
East Stroudsburg saw plenty of scoring chances as well. But in the bottom of the first with one out and the bases loaded, Marauder starter
Cordell Shannon recorded a strikeout and ground out to leave the bases filled. The two outs proved key and foreshadowed the following eighth innings as the Warriors stranded 18 runners on base.
Shannon gave up three earned runs--four total--through four innings.
Logan Grant (3-0) entered with a runner on base in the fifth and worked his way through three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.
Orris became Millersville's new Hit King in style. He lined the first pitch of the seventh inning over the left field wall to pass Zach Stone (2011-14) for first place in the record book.
M. Stoltzfus went 4-for-6 with two RBIs. His cousin, Dan, went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs, giving him 12 RBIs in two PSAC Tournament games. Dan also boosted his season hit total to 80--one behind Mitch's present total. Musser started the game 3-for-3 and finished with three RBIs.
Millersville now awaits the winner of Tuesday's 9:30 a.m. game. Gannon, West Chester and Mercyhurst are all possible opponents.
