The Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers, ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II, ran out to a 20-0 lead and used falls from defending National Champions Chris Eddins (149 lbs.) and Connor Craig (184 lbs.) in a 38-8 season-opening, PSAC victory at No. 22 East Stroudsburg on Friday.
 
After seventh-ranked Brendan Howard received a forfeit to start the match, top-ranked and defending national champion Tyler Warner won a 6-1 decision over Bryce Parenti at 133 lbs. to put the Mountain Cat up 9-0.
 
Freshman Jacob Ealy made his collegiate debut at 141 lbs. and scored a 16-0 tech fall over Jack Dardia, before Eddins pinned C.J. McMonegal at 1:29 to increase it to 20-0.
 
East Stroudsburg got on the scoreboard at 157 lbs. when Marquan Payne defeated Jacob Smith, 13-7, but second ranked Devin Austin dealt Pierre Liciaga a 9-0 major decision loss to make it 24-8.
 
In a battle of returning All-Americans at 174 lbs., East Stroudsburg's second-ranked Mike Raccioppi scored an 18-3 technical fall win over fourth-ranked Brock Biddle to cut it to 24-8.
 
However, Craig pinned Sczar Charles at 2:43 in the 184-lb. bout, and Mike Geyer and Allan Beattie closed it out with major decision wins for Pitt-Johnstown.  Geyer defeated Clayton Green, 13-4 at 197 lbs., and Beattie scored a 10-1 victory over Nick Nattoli at 285 lbs.
 
Pitt-Johnstown travels to the Rutgers Quad Meet in Piscataway, NJ to take on Centenary, Big 10 power Rutgers, and Division I Long Island-Post on Saturday, before going to the Northeast Duals in Troy, NY on November 9.  The Mountain Cats will make their 2019-20 home debut with matches against No. 15 Kutztown on November 22 and Findlay (OH) on November 23.