STROUDSBURG – On a wild day at Creekview Park that featured a 10-inning extra-inning contest and a 50-minute delay in game two, the East Stroudsburg University softball team came out victorious in both games against Shippensburg by scores of 3-1 and 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Creekview Park's Vigon International Field.
With the pair of wins, the Warriors (28-12, 16-6 PSAC East) now lead the Raiders (19-14, 13-9 PSAC East) by three games for second place in the division with 10 contests remaining until the PSAC Tournament.
The Warriors trailed, 2-1, in the bottom of the 7th of game two. With two outs, Vicendese reached base with a walk and came around to score on an Abigail Weirich single to send the game into extra innings, before the ESU won the game in the 10th frame.
Notables
- Katherine Donaghue was the game two hero and led ESU with four hits and three RBIs on the day. In the bottom of the 10th inning of game two, she delivered the game-winning run to seal the sweep for ESU. Donaghue also belted the go-ahead runs in game one's 3-2 win against the Raiders.
- Jada Smallwood became ESU's single-season record holder in doubles, picking up her 15th this season in game two. She totaled three hits in total and produced a run.
- Also totaling three hits on the day was Lexi Wright, totaling three singles. She sent home an insurance run in game one and made six putouts on the day in an impressive day in the field.
- Weirich's RBI couldn't have come at a better time, blasting a single to extend the contest to extra innings. While her 19-game hitting streak was halted in game one, she has now reached base successfully in 21 consecutive contests. Weirich added an additional RBI to her already school record 39 RBI sophomore season. Additionally, she stole a pair of bases and is still perfect at 27-27 this season.
- ESU's pitching staff impressed once again, combining to allow just three runs in 17 innings against a solid team in Shippensburg. Paige Zigmund (W, 15-3) tossed another complete game with just three hits allowed, striking out nine Raiders. Leigh Ann Jenkins followed with a 10-inning complete game, where she tossed 162 pitches. Jenkins allowed 11 hits and two earned runs and also struck out nine. Overall, ESU held Shippensburg to a .222 batting average.
How It Happened – ESU 3, Shippensburg 1
- The Warriors plated the first run of the contest in the bottom of the second. A leadoff single from Smallwood, helped pinch-runner Jade Hassler advance to second on a groundout and to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Donaghue came up with a clutch two-RBI double to plate the first runs of the doubleheader. Wright followed with a base hit to score Donaghue, as the Warriors took a 3-0 lead after two frames.
- ESU threatened with a pair of base runners in the third but were denied adding to their lead.
- Zigmund kept the Raiders tamed, allowing just one hit through five innings. In the sixth, Hannah Marsteller ended the drought with a one-out double. After a flyout advanced Marsteller to third, she crossed on an RBI single by Katelyn Minney, as SU cut the deficit to 3-1. That's all the damage Zigmund allowed, as Wright made a nice play for the third out.
- Needing two runs to extend the game, Zigmund did not allow a base runner, forcing a flyout for the final out to pick up her 15th win of the campaign.
How It Happened – ESU 3, Shippensburg 2 (10 Innings)
- It was the Raiders that struck first, scoring a run in its first at-bats in game two. After a single and a walk to leadoff the contest, Jenkins struck out All-American Hannah Marsteller, but Morgan Lindsey and Alyssa Nehlen each smacked an RBI single, as the Raiders took a 2-0 edge early.
- ESU was able to get a run back in its first at-bats. A one-out single by Nies, followed by a stolen base put the right fielder in scoring position. Smallwood smacked the season-record breaking double, scoring Nies to cut the deficit to a single run.
- ESU was able to put two runners with a double and a walk. After two groundouts, McKeown entered the box and took a ball before a turf issue put the game on pause for 50 minutes. After the turf was glued back, she grounded out to end the second inning.
- Shippensburg was able to juice the bases in the top of the 3rd, after a walk and two singles, but Jenkins escaped the frame unharmed. The game continued to remain quiet after the delay.
- After back-to-back singles to leadoff the top of the 7th, a lineout turned into a double play after a nice catch and throw form Wright. Ship had a runner on third base, but a flyout ended the chance at extending the SU lead.
- With three outs remaining, the Warriors' first two batters were retired, before Vicendese and Smallwood drew walks. Weirich belted a single up the middle to tie the contest and extend the game to extra innings.
- In the top of the 8th, Shippensburg nearly scored a run, but Wright fielded a ground ball and fired home to get the second out in the frame.
- After a strikeout to start its first at-bats in extra innings this season, Donaghue smacked a single to put the winning run on the basepaths. Wright followed with a base knock herself. McKeown blasted a single, but a strong throw from the left fielder got the pinch-runner out at home. ESU looked to score the winning run with two outs, with Nies nearly beating out an infield single. The out ended the eighth.
- Jenkins retired the first two batters in order, before conceding a walk in the ninth. She forced a lineout to Jenkins to give ESU an opportunity to win the game with a run. Reilly Vicendese opened the inning with a walk and advanced to second with a stolen base but was ultimately stranded.
- With the international tiebreaker rule in effect in the 10th, Jenkins got the first batter to ground out and picked up her ninth strikeout of the evening for the second out. She was able to strand the ghost runner on third with a ground out.
- ESU was able to triumph in the bottom of the 10th, as a sacrifice bunt allowed Shaw-Tait, the ghost runner, to advance to third. Donaghue came up with the clutch single to left field to score Shaw-Tait for the game-winning run.
Up Next
- ESU begins an eight-game road trip on Tuesday at Millersville. First pitches are slated for 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. The Warriors return to Creekview Park for Senior Day and Alumni Day on Saturday, April 29 at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
