EAST STROUDSBURG – A pinch-hit single from
Morgan Walsh in the eighth inning of game two lifted the East Stroudsburg University softball team to a doubleheader split with St. Thomas Aquinas in its first action in 363 days on Monday afternoon at Creekview Park.
The Spartans (1-1) took game one by a score of 10-1, while the Warriors avoided a sweep with the thrilling walk-off victory in game two with a 6-5 win.
Walsh, who was batting for the first time this season, sent a single in between the shortstop and third baseman. Pinch runner
Rachel Arner stood at second and rounded third, and evaded the tag from the St. Thomas Aquinas catcher for the walk-off victory.
"We are so proud of the team," said ESU softball head coach
Jaime Wohlbach after the game. "Their fight and hunger to take game two was outstanding. Morgan is a great leader of handling pressure situations. Our entire team was a part of that win, and we are so excited about what this group can accomplish this year."
Lexi Wright led the Warriors with three hits on the day including a double.
Katherine Donaghue and
Kaitlin Houser also posted a pair of hits for ESU.
Redshirt junior
Leigh Ann Jenkins (1-0) earned the win in game two for ESU, pitching five innings in relief of starter
Mikayla Pourby. Jenkins allowed six hits and struck out five, while conceding just a pair of runs.
The doubleheader marked the first game at Creekview Park for the Warriors in 681 days, and its first-ever games on its new all-turf surface.
Game One
STAC built a 4-0 advantage after the second inning and would not allow ESU back into the game, taking down the Warriors, 10-1 in five innings.
STAC's Carissa Della Veccia pitched all five innings and posted 11 strikeouts in the impressive effort. She conceded four hits and three walks, with an unearned run crossing the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Leading 4-0, the Spartans added six runs on six hits in the top of the 4th innings to take control.
ESU was able to avoid a shutout after Wright singled to lead off the bottom of the 5
th. She went on to steal second and advance to third on an error. Donaghue sent home Wright on a single to wrap up the scoring in the opening game.
Game Two
The Spartans wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard in game two, with a pair of runs in the opening half inning.
ESU responded instantly as three this and three STAC errors led to four runs, as the Warriors took its first lead of the season. Donaghue
Kaitlyn Caleen and Kaitlyn Houser provided the hits in the frame.
The Spartans fought back with an RBI double in the top of the 2nd from Melissa Sadler the following inning to cut the deficit to a single run.
With both teams trading runs, ESU added a tally after Calleen sent in a run on a groundout in the bottom of the second to reestablish a two-run advantage at 5-3. Not to be outdone, STAC's Della Vecchia sent a line drive solo home run over the right field fence make it a one-run game at 5-4 in the top of the fourth.
All of the sudden, the scoring halted with ESU's Jenkins and STAC's Paige Toothaker settling in. Both pitchers would not allow a run in the fifth or sixth.
Jenkins was able to retire the first two Spartan hitters in the top of the seventh, but three consecutive singles would allow the game-tying run to cross the plate. Ultimately, the game-tying single from Melissa Sadler forced extra innings, after ESU could not put a runner on the base in the bottom of the seventh.
After allowing a pair of singles, Jenkins continued her strong performance by stranding two runners in scoring position in the top of the 8th to keep it a tie game.
Ashley Spencer led the bottom of the 8th with a single. With Arner pinch-running,
Marissa Govan bunted over Arner into scoring position on the sacrifice. Walsh was sent to the plate to pinch hit and delivered, hitting the game-winning single in between the shortstop and third baseman. Arner slid away from the tag, as ESU earned the walk-off victory.
The Warriors are back in action on Wednesday afternoon, when ESU hosts Dominican College at Creekview Park. First pitch in the doubleheader at Vigon International Field is set for 1:00 p.m.