STROUDSBURG – The East Stroudsburg University softball team split its doubleheader with Bloomsburg on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Huskies by a score of 5-2 in the first game, while suffering a 7-5 loss in the second contest of the day. With the split, ESU is now 13-7 on the season with an 8-6 record in the PSAC East. The Huskies now have a 6-14, 4-14 conference record with the win and loss.
Marah Range (W, 8-2) continued her strong senior season with a complete game win in the opening game. Range fired five strikeouts and conceded just five hits and a pair of earned runs in the victory.
In the game one comeback win, ESU posted eight hits with Ashley Spencer and Rachel Seiverd smacking a pair of base knocks.
Spencer, Molly Nies and Lexi Wright each collected an RBI in the first contest of the afternoon. ESU, who trailed 2-0, rallied for three runs in the third frame and added two runs in the fifth to seal the triumph.
In the second half of the twin bill, Sofia Cecchin and Marissa Govan each plated a pair of runs Warriors, while Seiverd also contributed an RBI.
Overall Seiverd and Spencer led ESU with three hits on the day, while Wright, Reilly Vicendese and Nies each posted two.
GAME ONE
Range struck out the first two Huskies she faced, but the third (Erin DelPierre) sent a double to left field. The native of Sacramento would avoid any damage, stranding DelPierre on third with her third punch out of the inning.
After ESU went down in order in its first at bats, Bloomsburg would cross home plate first in the top of the 2nd. A two-out RBI single gifted the Huskies the first lead of the day off the bat of Abby Wild.
The Warriors could not answer, as Bloomsburg added to its lead in its next at bats off a solo home run from Nicolette Ray.
The 2-0 lead did not last long. ESU immediately answered, as back-to-back RBI doubles from Wright and Nies would tie the game at 2-2. With Nies on second and one out in the inning, Vicendese would hit a single to advance Nies 60 feet from home plate. A Husky error would allow Nies to score on the play.
Range was strong the rest of the way in the circle, allowing just one hit after the third inning.
Spencer led off the home half of the fourth inning with a single, but ultimately was stranded at third base.
The Warriors added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth on two hits and two Bloomsburg errors. Wright scored on an error by the Husky second baseman, while Spencer singled home Vicendese later on in the inning to extend the ESU lead to 5-2.
Range allowed a one-out double in the top of the 7th, but she completed the impressive performance with back-to-back ground outs to second base for her eigth victory of the season.
The ESU triumph marked the eighth time this season that the Warriors overcame a deficit and earned a win.
GAME TWO
Mikayla Pourby started in the circle for the Warriors in game two and didn't allow a hit or a run. However, she gave up three walks and a hit by pitch in the second inning. She stranded a pair of runners on base to get through the first without any damage.
ESU took the first lead of game two in its first at bats, with Cecchin sent a two-RBI single to right field with no outs. The Warriors could not add to the two-run lead in the frame.
The Huskies loaded the bases in the second inning with two outs, as Leigh Ann Jenkins (L, 4-3) took over pitching duties from Pourby with two outs and the bases juiced. The University of Charleston transfer was able to get the final out of the inning on a fielder's choice to keep the ESU lead intact.
In the bottom of the 2nd, ESU threatened with two consecutive singles from Seiverd and Wright, but the Warriors could not cash in any runs.
After Jenkins set down the side in order in the third, ESU would add to its lead with a bases-loaded walk form Seiverd. A strikeout in the next at bat would prevent ESU from adding any addition runs.
Bloomsburg put its first run on the scoreboard in the top of the 4th on an RBI single from Tara Baney.
The Huskies would take the lead in the top of the 5th on five hits and an ESU error, pushing home five runs with two outs. Mickayla Grow took over and earned the final out of the stanza against the first Husky she faced.
The Warriors sought another comeback and got within one run in the fifth after a two-RBI double from Marissa Govan. Govan, the potential tying run, would be stranded on the second after the third out in the inning.
After the Huskies extended its lead to 7-5 in the top of the 6th, the Warriors could not respond, going down in order.
ESU, who has outscored its opponents 21-4 in the seventh inning this season, could not get a runner on base this time around, falling to Bloomsburg by a score of 7-5 in game two.
The Warriors look to take the season series on the road against the Huskies on Monday. The doubleheader is set to begin on 2:30 p.m. at Jan M. Hutchison Field.
