LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Allowing a combined four runs in the doubleheader, the East Stroudsburg University softball team picked up a pair of conference wins over Lock Haven on Friday afternoon at Lawrence Field. The Warriors (24-12, 15-11 PSAC East) held on to win game one by a score of 4-3, and took down the Bald Eagles (9-17, 9-17 PSAC East) 6-1 in the second half of the twin bill.
Seven Warriors boasted multiple hits on the day, with Morgan Walsh (3-6, 3 RBIs), Reilly Vicendese (double, 2 RBIs) and MacKenzie Lewis (3-5, 2 doubles, RBI) leading the charge. Rachel Seiverd and Marissa Govan also drove in runs on the day for ESU.
Vicendese continues to impress in her excellent first-year campaign. With three RBIs today, she now holds the program freshman record in RBIs with 26 (prev. 24, Mikayla Pourby, 2019). She also tied the freshman hit record with 48 base knocks on the season (Mary Wallick, 2015). She previously broke the program record among ESU freshmen for runs, as she now has 30 on the season. (26, Mary Wallick, 2015).
In the circle, both Marah Range (W, 13-4) and Leigh Ann Jenkins (W, 6-5) tossed impressive complete game victories. Range continued her strong season by earning her PSAC leading 13th victory after allowing just two earned runs on three hits, striking out nine Bald Eagles without a walk.
Jenkins allowed six hits and was just two outs away from recording her second shutout in four starts. She fanned four while allowing just one base on balls.
GAME ONE
ESU was able to strike first on the scoreboard in both contests, as the Warriors built a 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st in game one. After Rachel Arner walked and stole second, Vicendese would send her home on an RBI double to right center. After a pop out, Walsh followed with an RBI single, as ESU quickly grabbed a two-run lead.
With Range not allowing a hit until the fourth inning, ESU tacked on another run in the top of the 4th, as Lewis would belt a double to score Seiverd, who reached second on an error.
The Bald Eagles didn't concede, as double and single would lead to their first run of the day to cut the deficit to two runs.
Walsh's big day continued in the top of the 7th with an RBI single to score Kaitlyn Caleen, who reached base on a two-out double.
The insurance run proved necessary for ESU, as LHU would come within a single run of the Warriors in its last at bats. LHU's Casey Carpen would smack a two-out, two-run home run over the left field fence to slice the deficit to 4-3. Range's 100th strikeout of the season and ninth of the game could not have come at a better time, as the Warriors secured the one-run win at 4-3.
GAME TWO
ESU consistently found success from the plate in game two, scoring runs in five of seven innings.
Vicendese again supplied ESU's first RBI in the first inning, as an infield single would plate Arner. Despite loading the bases, ESU could not plate more additional runs.
Govan posted an RBI on a ground out in the top of 3rd to lengthen the Warrior lead to 2-0.
Jenkins continued to pitch well, scattering hits to avoid damage.
After scoring a run on an error in the top of the 4th, ESU would pad its lead with a run on a Walsh infield single to the shortstop to make it a 4-0 contest. ESU enlarged its lead with an another run via a Bald Eagle error in the fifth frame.
After Kaitlin Houser recorded a double with one-out in the top of 7th, Seiverd would send her home on a single down the right field line, as ESU took a commanding 6-0 lead.
LHU prevented a Jenkins' shutout with a two-out RBI single to make it a 6-1 ball game. The Folsom, Pa. native would force a ground out to herself in the last batter of the day, as ESU earned its 24th win in 36 games this season.
The Warriors and Bald Eagles will meet again on Saturday afternoon at Creekview Park. The opening pitch of the senior day doubleheader is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Vigon International Field.
