FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – In its 2023 season opening doubleheader, the East Stroudsburg University softball team opened its 49th season with a pair of losses to Nova Southeastern by scores of 9-8 and 12-6, on Friday night at AD Griffins Sports Complex.

The Warriors (0-2) look to pick up its first wins on Saturday at Palm Beach Atlantic, while the Sharks improve to 4-2 on the season.

Notables

• Pacing ESU's offense was Maryland transfer, Jada Smallwood, who smacked five hits in eight at bats, including four singles and a double. She drove in six RBIs and drew a walk.
• Catching in game two was Shannon Edelman, who blasted a two-run home run in her first at bat of the season, along with producing a two-RBI double for four RBIs in game two.  
• Abigail Weirich smacked three RBIs on three hits, including a double.
• Starting at catcher in game one was Kaitlin Houser, who sent home two RBIs, while Katherine Donaghue also added an RBI.
• Reilly Vicendese smacked three hits, while Molly Nies and Gianna Coyle posted a pair. Nies led the Warriors with three runs scored.
• In the circle, Leigh Ann Jenkins struck out a pair in 4.2 innings in game one, allowing nine hits and seven earned runs. Maddy Pritchard (L, 0-1) closed the game and started game two, allowing nine hits, five earned runs, while striking out two in 3.2 innings in her first collegiate action. Paige Zigmund (L, 0-1) pitched 3.1 innings in relief, striking out three, while giving up 10 hits and eight earned runs. In her Warrior debut, Ariadna Cerda Bermejo allowed an earned run and two his in two-thirds of an inning.

How It Happened - Game One

• ESU struck first in in its opening at bats of the campaign. After a line out, Nies and Vicendese recorded back-to-back singles to setup Smallwood with an RBI single in her first at bat as a Warrior. Weirich immediately followed with another base hit to advance runners to second and third, but ESU scored just the one run in the first frame.
• Jenkins set down the first six batters she faced, as the Warriors were able to put another run on the scoreboard in the top of the 3rd. After a leadoff pop-out, Smallwood delivered a single. Jade Hassler entered the basepaths for Smallwood and stole second and would score on an error with two outs. A single by Madison Chapman would advance a Warrior to second base, but a strikeout would prevent more than one run scoring.
• NSU struck for three runs in the bottom of the 3rd on four hits. With the bases loaded and one out, a two RBI Shark single, followed directly by another RBI base knock to take a 3-2 lead over ESU. The Warriors got out of a bases loaded jam, with a lineout to prevent further damage.
• It didn't take long for the Warriors to retake the lead, with a one-out single from Gianna Coyle and an an error, which setup Smallwood with a two-RBI double in her home state.
• The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the 5th. A single, walk and a double steal allowed a sacrifice fly to left field to tie the game at 4-4. NSU wasn't done in the frame, with back-to-back RBI singles, as a three-run swing lifted the Sharks to a 7-4 advantage.
• The resilient Warriors fired back with four runs in its next at bats in the top of the 6th. After three walks to open the inning, an RBI groundout by Weirich, along with a Houser two-RBI double and Donaghue single lifted the Warriors to an 8-7 lead late in the contest.
• A leadoff triple by NSU setup up an RBI groundout to tie the game at 8-8. The Warriors could not put a base runner on in the top of the 7th.
• The Sharks walked it off in the bottom of the 7th, as an error with one out put a runner on 3rd base. A one out single lifted NSU to a 9-8 thriller in the first game.  

How it Happened - Game Two

• After 17 runs in game one, 18 runs came in game two, as the bats stayed hot in the Sunshine State.
• ESU struck first again, as Shannon Edelman blasted a 2-run home run in her first at bat of the season to take a 2-0 lead. NSU answered with a run in its half of the second frame, with a two-out RBI.
• ESU added to its lead in the top of the 3rd, with Weirich sending a double to center field to score Vicendese with two outs.
• The lead didn't last however, as a leadoff triple led to an RBI single, followed by sac fly to tie the game at three and an RBI single. NSU led ESU, 4-3, after three innings.
• The Sharks added to its lead with three runs in the home half of the fourth. ESU did not give up, coming within one run of NSU after an RBI single from Weirich, immediately followed by an Edelman two-RBI double.
• The Warriors could not plate any runs over its final six outs, as NSU extended its lead with a run in the fifth and four runs in the sixth to pull off the sweep of the Warriors.  

Up Next

ESU (0-2) heads about 50 miles north to face Palm Beach Atlantic (3-3) in West Palm Beach on Saturday afternoon. First pitches are scheduled for Noon and 2:00 p.m. at Simpson Field.