STROUDSBURG – Highlighted by impressive pitching performances and timely hitting, the East Stroudsburg University softball team picked up its second consecutive sweep, downing Queens (N.Y.), 11-0 in game one and 2-1 in game two on Wednesday afternoon at Creekview Park. The Warriors tallied their second consecutive five-inning no-hitter in game one, with Paige Zigmund not allowing a hit while striking out seven and not allowing a walk.

With the win, the Warriors even their record at 6-6. The Knights (0-2) fall in both contests of its season opening doubleheader.

ESU's pitching held the Knights to four hits and conceded just a single run. Zigmund, Maddy Pritchard and Leigh Ann Jenkins combined for 20 strikeouts in 12 innings, allowing just one walk.

Notables

• ESU was led at the plate by Denva Shaw-Tait (4-6), who blasted a home run, two triples and a double, recording three RBIs and a 2.000 slugging percentage on the afternoon. She also scored two runs.
• Molly Nies also contributed three RBIs, finishing with a pair of singles. Jada Smallwood connected on three doubles and two RBIs, while Shannon Edelman earned two RBIs in game one.  Abigail Weirich also notched a run batted in on two hits, including a double.
• Reilly Vicendese (3-7) smacked three hits, including a two-bagger. Samantha Derickson collected two singles in her first collegiate starts. Brooke McKeown also rallied multiple hits for the Warriors, who connected on 19 in the doubleheader.
• In the circle, Zigmund (W, 3-1) pitched a complete game one-hitter in the five-inning run-rule game. She struck out seven Knights and did not allow a walk, holding QC to a .059 batting average.
• Maddy Pritchard (W, 3-2) picked up the game two win. She allowed just one hit over five innings of action and also fanned seven Knights. She did not allow a run. Leigh Ann Jenkins (S, 1) picked up her first save of the season by closing out the final two innings. All of her outs came by strikeout, allowing three hits and one earned run over the final two frames.
• Over its past two doubleheaders with Holy Family and Queens, ESU's pitching staff has posted a 0.61 ERA, striking out 38 batters in 23 innings and allowed just two earned runs and three extra base hits. The Warriors have outhit the opposition, 39-7, and combined to outscore Holy Family and Queens, 32-2.

How it Happened– ESU 11, Queens 0

• Zigmund started the contest strong with three consecutive strikeouts.
• After a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base and a wild pitch, McKeown would score the first run of the contest on a RBI single up the middle from Nies. Smallwood would send Nies home from second with an RBI double to right center to extend ESU's lead to 2-0. Weirich doubled home Smallwood for the third run, while Edelman followed with an RBI single to score Weirich to complete the four-run, four-hit inning.
• Zigmund continued her dominance in the second frame, striking out two and forcing a flyout to retire the first six batters. ESU countered with three runs in the bottom of the 2nd. A Molly Nies single turned into three runs, with McKeown, Derickson and Nies scoring on the play.
• ESU put up its eighth run of the contest of the bat of Edelman, who sent a deep drive to the left fielder in foul territory. Shaw-Tait scored on the play.
• The Warriors added three insurance runs in the bottom of the 4th. Smallwood sent an RBI double to right field for the ninth run to score Vicendese. Denva Shaw-Tait blasted a two-run shot to wrap up the scoring in game one. The Warriors completed its second consecutive no-hitter with a 1-2-3 top of the 5th.

How it Happened – ESU 2, Queens 1

• Pritchard continued ESU's dominance in the circle to start game two, setting down Queens in order.
• ESU looked to put runs on the scoreboard in the second, loading the bases with not outs via a triple, walk and hit-by-pitch. The Knights were able to keep the game scoreless with back-to-back strikeouts and a flyout.
• The pitcher's duel continued through the fifth inning. Queens was able to leadoff the inning with a double. After moving to third on a groundout, the Knight was stranded on third base after a ground out, a strikeout and another ground out.
• The Warriors were able to strike for the first two runs in the in the bottom of the 5th. A one-out double by Vicendese would not result in a run however, as she was thrown out trying to score the first run of the game following a Smallwood double. With two outs, an error by the second baseman would allow pinch-runner Jade Hassler to score to take a 1-0 lead. An additional run would score off of Shaw-Tait's bat with a double. Suddenly, ESU led 2-0, after five innings.
• Leigh Ann Jenkins came into the contest and continued ESU's dominance in the circle with three consecutive strikeouts during the top of the 6th.
• ESU attempted to add additional runs in the bottom of 5th. After a popout, Derickson reached base on an error, as Kasey Ulmer entered the game to pinch-run. McKeown followed with a single, as an error allowed her to advance to second and Ulmer went to third. Unfortunately for ESU, a pop-out and fly-out did not allow the Warriors to extend its lead.
• Queens was able to put up its first run of the season during its final at bats. After a strikeout, back-to-back singles followed by a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Myaisha Kelly sent home a Knight on a single. The bases remained loaded, but Jenkins was able to strikeout the final two batters to earn her first save of the season.

Up Next

• ESU is next scheduled to play on Friday against Jefferson. The doubleheader in Philadelphia is scheduled for Noon and 2:00 p.m.
• With possible inclement weather, stay tuned to esuwarriors.com for scheduling updates.