Baseball – Negron and Waller combine on three-hitter and 11 strikeouts as Hornets win third straight 8-4 over Stroudsburg

Junior Jude Negron made his first start of the season Saturday and combined with sophomore Braden Waller to lead Emmaus past Stroudsburg 8-4. Photo: Chrissy Kauffman

RECAP >> Emmaus picked up its third win in as many days on Saturday afternoon as they completed a 3-1 week, going on the road and defeating Stroudsburg 8-4 in a makeup game from earlier this week.

The game was played at East Stroudsburg University’s brand new turf field at ESSA & Hughes Field Complex at Creekview Park due to unplayable field conditions at Stroudsburg.

Emmaus led from start to finish as they won their third straight game in improving to 7-1 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and 8-2 overall.

The Hornets received their second outstanding pitching performance in as many days as junior Jude Negron and sophomore Braden Waller combined on a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts.

Negron, making his first start of the season, went 3 2-3 innings and allowed all four Stroudsburg runs on three hits in picking up the win before giving way to Waller who was dominant in relief, tossing 3 1-3 innings of no-hit ball while striking out six, including the side in the bottom of the seventh.

The performance by both Negron and Waller was on the heels of senior Dylan Lehman’s masterful two-hit, eight strikeout performance one day earlier in Emmaus’ 15-0, four-inning rout of Pocono Mountain East at Church Lane Park.

Negron also helped his own cause at the plate going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI for the Hornets who had nine hits in the game. Senior second baseman Keegan Nytz also had two hits and scored a pair of runs, classmate third baseman Brandon Robinson knocked in two runs and senior Tyler Ritter made the most of his one and only appearance at the plate, lining a bases-clearing double in the top of the seventh inning that provided Emmaus with insurance after Stroudsburg had cut the Hornets lead to one at 5-4 after four innings.

Stroudsburg suffered its second straight loss as they dropped to 5-2 in the league and 5-4 overall. Third baseman Dylan Varano led the Mounties going 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI. Shortstop Ben Stokes had the only other hit in the game for the home team.

Emmaus will return to action on Monday at home at Church Lane Park when they take on undefeated Blue Mountain (7-0) in a non-league game that was postponed from April 6. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

Follow @Emmaussports.com on twitter and ‘like’ Emmaus baseball on facebook to keep up to date with the team throughout the season.

Em – 300 200 3 – 8-9-1

Sb – 002 200 0 – 4-3-1

Em – Jude Negron, Braden Waller (4) and Ian Kauffman

Sb – Dylan Budhai, Braden Breithaupt (5) and O. Christy

WP – Negron (2-0), LP – Breithaupt