MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - The 24th-ranked Millersville Marauders completed their second consecutive PSAC East series sweep Sunday with a pair of road wins at Kutztown. The Marauders won the opener 7-4 and boosted their winning streak to 10 games with a 7-2 win in game two.
Millersville now has two 10-game winning streaks this season. The last time Millersville swept two consecutive PSAC East series was in 2016. The Marauders are now 24-7 overall and 11-1 in the PSAC East.
GAME 1 RECAP (MILLERSVILLE 7, KUTZTOWN 4)
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Cole Friese went 3-for-3, walked twice and scored two runs, sparking a Millersville lineup that scored two runs in each of the first three innings and never trailed.
• Friese asserted himself from his first at bat. He opened the game with a single, stole second and came around to score on a
Ben Snyder single. The Marauders added two bases loaded walks in the second. Friese squeezed home a run in the third and Millersville built its lead to 6-1 when
Eric Callahan scored on a Kutztown fielding error.
• Kutztown never got closer than three to the Marauders.
Cordell Shannon (7-1) won his seventh-consecutive start, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks over four innings.
Aidan Welch logged one inning, and
Tyler Yankosky picked up his third save by tossing two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
GAME 2 RECAP (MILLERSVILLE 7, KUTZTOWN 2)
• In the fifth inning, Kutztown pulled within 3-2 and had two runners on base but reliever
Bobby Dorta managed to escape and keep Millersville in front. The Marauders immediately responded in the top of the sixth.
Jimmy Losh put down a bunt and
Nick Graham came home when the throw to first was errant. Millersville then blew open the game in the to pof the seventh.
Jimmy Cain hit a two-run homer and Callahan added an RBI single. Dorta blanked Kutztown in the sixth and
Noah Hartwell did the same in the seventh.
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Daniel Ross (2-1) made his first start of the season and gave up just one run on two hits in four innings.
• Nine Marauders totaled 10 hits. Cain went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Friese added a hit and a stolen base. Snyder had a hit and scored twice.
WHAT COACH JON SHEHAN HAD TO SAY
• "We have been very level-headed throughout this run--not real emotional--which is a sign of maturity. It hasn't just been one guy. Our leadoff man has been wreaking havoc. When that happens it is hard to pitch to the rest of the lineup. We've had guys step up. Callahan swung hte bat well this weekend and
Jimmy Cain is coming on and being the guy we knew he could be.
• "Friese has been ultra-aggressive at the plate but not swinging out of the zone. Even the balls he puts in play in the infield he can beat out. His bunt game has gotten better. Sometimes we overlook his defense, but he is an all-around good player.
• "We did a good job taking advantage miscues. In the sixth, we took a chance and scored a run with a bunt and the error. We scored on a couple of their miscues."
• "Ross did a good job. His first inning he held back. We had a conversation in the dugout and just reminded him that we have good arms in the bullpen and that he can go out, pitch and trust those guys. He did that."
NOTES
• Shannon won his 29th career game, pulling within four of the Millersville record. He boosted his strikeout total to 230 and is just five away from the career record. Millersville starts its four-game series with Mansfield on the road on April 12.
• Ross' start was the third of his career and his first since April 9, 2018.
• Friese has reached base in all 31 games of the season and has a hit in 14 in a row. He has stolen eight bases in the last five games.
UP NEXT
• Millersville completes the series with Kutztown with a road doubleheader Sunday starting at 1 p.m.
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