KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The East Stroudsburg University softball team extended its winning streak to 12 in game one's 8-3 win over Kutztown, but fell to the defending PSAC Champions in game two by a score of 5-1 on Tuesday afternoon at North Campus Field.
The Warriors (18-8, 6-2 PSAC East) now sit in third-place in the division, while the Golden Bears (9-11, 3-1 PSAC East) fall to fourth-place in the PSAC East after suffering its first loss in conference play.
Notables
- Abigail Weirich smacked a three-run home run in the top of the 7th in game one and added a solo shot in the second contest for four RBIs on the day. She doubles her home run total and now has four this season to pace ESU. She has 29 RBIs in 26 contests, leading the PSAC East and ranks second to Alexa Hurd of Slippery Rock (35).
- Molly Nies batted .774 on the day, totaling five singles and an RBI, scoring a pair of runs.
- Reilly Vicendese and Molly Nies each posted two hits and an RBI on the afternoon.
- Jada Smallwood registered a pair of RBIs in the opening contest.
- Paige Zigmund (W, 9-2) tossed all seven innings in her ninth win of the season, which ranks second most in the conference. She did not allow an earned run (three unearned), allowing six hits and a walk while striking out four Golden Bears. She held KU to a .231 batting average. She lowers her season ERA to 2.08.
- Leigh Ann Jenkins (L, 5-2) suffered just her second loss on the season in game two, allowing five earned runs and eight hits. She struck out seven in the matchup.
- The winning streak is the second-longest in program history and is the longest since the Warriors posted a program-record 17 game streak last season. ESU posted an 11-game winning streak in 1976 and posted 10 consecutive wins in 1977.
How It Happened – ESU 8, Kutztown 3
- The Warriors got off to a fast start in the opening contest against the defending PSAC Champions. After a leadoff ground out, Nies followed with a single and then was able to score off a Vicendese softball. With the speedy Vicendese in scoring position, she was able to cross home plate on a ground out to shortstop off the bat of Smallwood. ESU grabbed the early 2-0 advantage.
- The pitcher's duel remained quiet until the top of the 4th. With two outs in the frame, the Warriors plated a pair of runs to double its lead to 4-0. Donaghue reached base to start the rally with a hit-by-pitch. After a walk by Lexi Wright, McKeown blasted a single to score Donaghue. Wright scored the fourth run of the contest off the bat of a Nies single.
- With Zigmund continuing her impressive performance, she was able to strand two Golden Bears on base with one out with a flyout and groundout to keep the Golden Bears scoreless in the fifth.
- The Warriors were retired in order in the top of the 6th, as the Golden Bears roared back into the contest in the bottom half of the 6th.
- After a leadoff single, Zigmund was able to retire the next two batters. Following a fielding error, Sarah Harvey smacked a two-out 3-run home run to cut the deficit to 4-3. All three runs came unearned, due to the error.
- ESU busted the game open in the top of the 7th. Leading 4-3, the Warriors registered four runs on four hits and took advantage of a pair of errors by KU. Smallwood provided her second RBI of the game with a single and Weirich belted a 3-run home run to lengthen the Warrior lead to 8-3.
- Needing three outs for the complete game, Zigmund allowed a one-out single, but followed up with a strikeout and a popout to end the first contest.
How It Happened – Kutztown 5, ESU 1
- ESU got off to a fast start with a leadoff single and instantly stole second. The Warriors could not cash in a run this time in the top of the 1st, as a flyout, ground out and strikeout ended the first at bats.
- Kutztown struck first in the bottom half of the inning. With the bases loaded and one out, the Golden Bears used a two-RBI single and a two-run home run to snag a 4-0 lead.
- The contest remained untouched on the scoreboard until Weirich smacked a solo home run, her second-round tripper of the day to cut the deficit to 4-1.
- The Golden Bears got the run back in the bottom of 5th, with a solo home run.
- The Warriors could not tally a hit past the fifth inning, seeing its winning streak snapped at 12 games.
Up Next
- ESU (18-8, 6-2 PSAC East) returns home to Creekview Park on Friday, welcoming first-place West Chester (17-10, 5-1 PSAC East) for a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
- The contests will be broadcasted live on the PSAC Sports Digital Network.
