ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Junior
Marah Range tossed a one-hit shutout in game two of a double-header on Saturday as the East Stroudsburg University softball team earned a split at Claflin to begin its road trip down South.
After falling by a 5-1 margin to Claflin (7-11) in the opening game, ESU (3-7) posted a convincing 10-0 victory in six innings in the final game behind the dominating effort from Range and strong performances at the plate by
Kaitlyn Caleen,
Katherine Donaghue and
Marissa Govan.
GAME 1: Claflin 5, ESU 1 | Box Score
Govan (2-for-4) and Donaghue (2-for-3) posted multi-hit performances to lead the ESU offense in the opening game.
Mikayla Pourby went five innings in the circle with six strikeouts and three earned runs allowed.
With ESU trailing by a run heading into the fifth, Govan ripped a double down the right field line to score Sophia Cecchin and tie the game at 1-1.
Claflin answered in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs on RBI knocks from Jada Ames and Chast Huntly to give the Lady Panthers back the lead, 3-1. Claflin then added two insurance runs in the sixth, and eventually closed out the 5-1 win.
Bre'Zhay Chambers went the distane for Claflin, yielding just one run in seven innings of work while racking up seven strikeouts.
GAME 2: ESU 10, Claflin 0 (6 inn.) | Box Score
Range allowed just one hit and struck out three in her six-inning complete-game effort in game two, as the junior transfer notched her second win of the season. At the plate, Caleen (2-for-2) and Donaghue (2-for-4) both picked up a pair of RBIs, and Govan went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored.
The Warriors jumped out to a quick lead with two runs in the first and three in the second. Caleen opened the scoring with a two-run double that scored Govan and
Kaylee Hazewski in the top of the first. In the following inning, Govan and Donaghue both notched RBI singles to extend the team's lead to 5-0 through two.
A sac fly from Caleen in the fourth made it a six-run game, before the Warriors put Claflin away with a four-run sixth frame. Donaghue,
Morgan Walsh and
Shannon Bonewit each notched RBI hits in the inning, and
Rachel Seiverd's sac fly padded the ESU lead to 10-0.
Range allowed just one baserunner in the final inning on a walk, as she was able to close out her one-hit shutout and help the Warriors secure their third win of the season.
ESU remains in South Carolina for a doubleheader at Lander on Sunday, March 8 beginning at 5 p.m.