KUTZTOWN, Pa. – In the East Stroudsburg University softball team's first postseason action since 2015, the Warriors allowed just six earned runs, but Kutztown ultimately earned a sweep of the Warriors in the PSAC Quarterfinal round at North Campus Field. Kutztown grabbed a 5-1 win in game one and eliminated ESU from the PSAC Championships with a 5-0 victory in the second contest.

The fourth-seed Warriors fall to 26-14 on the season, while the first-seed Golden Bears (31-11) will host three-seed West Chester in the PSAC Semifinals.

ESU, who is ranked four in the latest edition of the Atlantic Region rankings, will have to wait until, Sun., May 16 at 10:00 p.m. to see if it will earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament during the Division II Softball Selection Show on NCAA.com. If the Warriors are selected, it would mark the program's third overall trip to the NCAA Tournament and its first since 2007. ESU would return to North Campus Field, as KU hosts the Atlantic Regional Championships.

Katherine Donaghue provided the lone RBI on the day for ESU on a fielder's choice in game one. Ashley Spencer, Sofia Cecchin and Morgan Walsh all collected two hits apiece. Kaitlin Houser, Lexi Wright, Reilly Vicendese (2B) and Molly Nies each smacked a hit.

Leigh Ann Jenkins (L, 7-6) started in the circle in game one, allowing just one earned run in six innings of work. She allowed seven hits, while fanning five Golden Bears. KU would score four unearned runs to hand Jenkins a loss.  

Marah Range (L, 14-5) tossed five scoreless innings before allowing a three-run home run in the top of the 6th and a two-ruin home run in the top of the 7th in game two. She struck out six Golden Bears in her 12th complete game performance.
 

GAME ONE

With two outs in the top of the 1st, Vicendese singles and immediately stole second in ESU's first at bats. She would be stranded in scoring position after a ground out.

Jenkins held the Golden Bears to just two hits through the first two frames. KU struck first, with a two-run home run off the bat of Hannah Auvil to lift the Golden Bears to a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the 3rd.

ESU would cut the deficit in half in its next at bats in the top of the fourth. A fielder's choice from Donaghue would send home Gianna Coyle, who pinch-ran for Walsh. With two runners in scoring position, a fly out would prevent ESU from tying the contest up.

Jenkins avoided trouble in the bottom of the fifth, forcing a fly out with two outs and runners on second and third.

The Golden Bears were able to take control in the bottom of the 6th, adding three runs on two hits and an error to take a 5-1 advantage. Zoe Texidor singled to make it a 3-1 contest, while Auvil sent a base hit up the middle for a pair of RBIs.

Facing a four-run deficit in the top of the 7th, the Warriors could not put a runner on base, falling to Kutztown, 5-1 in the first game.  

GAME TWO

ESU's Range and KU's Brugger battled in a pitcher's duel throughout game two. The Warriors served as the home team for the second contest.

KU looked to put a run on the scoreboard in the top of the 4th, but the KU's Brianna Hughes attempted to turn a leadoff double into a triple, as Vicendese would apply a tag for the first out in the frame. Range would retire the next two batters in order.

After Range stranded a runner on second base in the fifth inning, ESU would put also put a runner in scoring position on a leadoff double from Wright. Wright looked to advance to third on a fly out to left, but would be thrown out to end the inning.

The Warriors also had a chance to put a tally on the scoreboard in the fourth frame, as Cecchin reached base via a walk and would steal second. After Walsh sent a single to center field, Cecchin would be thrown out at home to keep the contest scoreless.

Kutztown's Alyssa Donato would smack a three-run homerun in the top of the 6th to break the scoreless tie. KU would load the bases later on in the inning, as Range would strikeout the final batter of the frame to avoid more damage.

KU would add a pair of runs to its lead in the top of the 7th on a two-run home run from Hughes to extend its lead to 5-0.

ESU looked to keep its PSAC Championships hope alive in the bottom of the 7th, as Spencer singled with one out. She would be stranded on first, as Kutztown advanced to the conference semifinals with a 5-0 win in game two.

If its season is over, the 2021 season would be among the most successful in program history for the Warriors. ESU's 26 wins rank as the third most in program history. The Warriors shattered its home wins record, posting 20 victories in 24 games at Creekview Park. ESU also set a record for most conference wins in a season with 17.

ESU did not lose a single PSAC series throughout conference play and went 9-1 during non-conference action. The Warriors could never be counted out of a game, earning 10 come-from-behind victories. On the base paths, ESU currently leads all of Division II with 116 stolen bases.

The 2021 NCAA Division II Softball Selection Show will take place on Sunday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m. on NCAA.com.