Stroudsburg – In a pair of fast-paced games, the East Stroudsburg University softball team and Kutztown split a pair of 2-0 contests in a doubleheader at Creekview Park on Tuesday afternoon.
The Warriors (24-12, 12-6 PSAC East) continue their strong conference season, having yet to be swept in nine series. The Golden Bears (15-17, 9-7 PSAC East) slide to fourth in the division with the split.
Notables
- Jada Smallwood blasted her sixth home run of the season in her first at-bat in game one, totaling two RBIs on the day. She added a double in game one and is now tied with teammate Abigail Weirich for the team lead with 34 RBIs. Both Smallwood and Weirich look to become the single-season record holder in RBIs, now just three away from breaking Kaitlyn Caleen's 36 RBI record set in 2019.
- Weirich also collected two hits on two singles. She stole three bases on the day and is now tied for the lead in the PSAC with 24 stolen bases. She has yet to be caught stealing, leading the conference in stolen base percentage.
- Shannon Edleman smacked a double in game two, in hopes of starting a late rally. Brooke McKeown and Reilly Vicendese also contributed hits on the day.
- Paige Zigmund (W, 13-3) tossed an impressive seven-inning shutout in game one, giving up seven hits and one walk, while striking out seven Golden Bears. She lowers her ERA to 2.02, her WHIP to .99, and her batting average against to .212.
- Leigh Ann Jenkins (L, 7-5) suffered the game two loss, allowing just one extra-base hit (six total), while walking four and striking out eight. She held KU to a .222 batting average in the outing.
How it Happened – ESU 2, Kutztown 0
- Zigmund was able to get out of a jam in the top of the 1st after allowing a leadoff double. Brooke McKeown reached base on a bunt single for the first Warrior hit. After a groundout and flyout, Smallwood blasted her sixth home run of the season, lifting the Warriors to a 2-0 edge on the scoreboard.
- The pitchers' duel continued as both Zigmund and Gravish continued their strong performances, not allowing a run the rest of the way.
- Zigmund scattered hits in the third, sixth, and seventh, but did not concede a run, tossing her fourth shutout of the season. Gravish allowed just four hits in the loss, striking out six Warriors, and did not walk an ESU batter. She did not allow a hit after the fourth inning, retiring the final eight batters.
How it Happened – ESU 2, Kutztown 0
- Similar to the opening contest, runs were hard to come by in the latter half of the doubleheader. The Golden Bears were able to break the scoreless tie in the fourth inning. After a leadoff single and a stolen base, Kate Ostaszewski came around to score on a two-out single by Kristin Geesey, as Kutztown took its first lead of the day.
- Both pitchers continued to deal, until Geesey belted her second RBI single of game two in the top of the 6th. After a walk and a single, Geesey recorded the base knock with one out to give KU an insurance run.
- Nies ended ESU's drought without a hit in the bottom of the 6th with a two-out single. Vicendese followed with a base hit to put the tying run on base. A fielding error followed, loading the bases for Weirich. Unfortunately for ESU, the batted ball found the glove of KU second baseman Ostaszewski for a groundout to end the threat of a run scoring.
- The Golden Bears smacked a two-out triple and followed with a base on balls to threaten in the bottom of the 6th, but Jenkins came up with a clutch strikeout to keep the deficit at two runs.
- Needing two runs to extend the game in the bottom of the 7th, Edelman blasted a one-out double for ESU's fourth hit of the game with a double down the left field line. After a flyout moved Edelman to third base,
Up Next
- The Warriors return to Creekview Park on Friday for a doubleheader with Shepherd.
- First pitches are set for 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
