STROUDSBURG – Playing on the biggest stage in their collegiate careers to date,
Paige Zigmund tossed a five-hit shutout and
Brooke McKeown connected on a two-out RBI single in the second inning which accounted for the only run in the contest to lift the No. 1 seed East Stroudsburg University softball team past No. 5 seed West Virginia Wesleyan, 1-0, on Saturday afternoon in the Atlantic Region pod 1 championship.
With the win, the Warriors advance to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time in program history next week in Stroudsburg at Creekview Park's Vigon International Field. The Bobcats (45-17) are eliminated from the postseason with the loss after an impressive season.
The Atlantic Region Champion will be crowned next week in Stroudsburg at Creekview Park in the NCAA Super Regional, with the Warriors taking on No. 3 seed Charleston, from May 18-19. Thursday's opening game will start at 2:00 p.m., while game three, if necessary, is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Gallery: (5-13-2023) ESU def. WVWC in NCAA Regionals
Notables
- Zigmund has been excellent in her three starts this NCAA Tournament, posting a 0.74 ERA with back-to-back shutouts against West Chester and West Virginia Wesleyan. She has struck out 18 batters in 19 innings, not allowing an extra-base hit while holding the opposition to a .179 batting average. The PSAC East Pitcher of the Year and NFCA All-Region First Team selection allowed just 12 singles in 74 at bats on the week.
- Reilly Vicendese led the game with two hits, including a double. Kaitlin Houser also contributed a two-bagger, while Molly Nies and Shaw-Tait each connected on a base knock.
- McKeown's RBI single to score Denva Shaw-Tait proved to be the only run in the highly-competitive pitcher's duel. WVWC's Abigail O'Shields and Hannah Hudson combined to allow just six hits and an earned run, striking out six Warriors.
- Zigmund, who has set ESU's wins record in the regular season, now has 24-5 record and has lowered her ERA to 2.08 on the season and holds a 1.08 WHIP and .226 batting average against.
- Top performers from the plate for the Warriors in its three NCAA Tournament games.
- The Warriors, who are playing in its fourth NCAA Tournament (2006, 2007, 2021, 2023), will play in its first-ever traditional NCAA Super Regional in 2023. ESU had played in a super regional equivalent during the 2021 season, that was affected by COVID-19, finishing the season as the regional runner-up.
- With three wins, ESU now holds a 10-6 record all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- The NCAA Super Regional will take place on May 18-19, with a regional champion crowned at Creekview Park on Friday May 19. The Atlantic Region Champion will head to Chattanooga, Tenn. for the NCAA Softball Championship.
How It Happened
- The Warriors opened the scoring in the second inning. After a single from Shaw-Tait and a walk by Houser, the Warriors used a double steal to put a pair of runners in scoring position. With two outs, McKeown was able to get a hold of an RBI single to score Shaw-Tait, taking a 1-0 lead after two frames.
- ESU threatened to add a second run in the third inning, after a leadoff double from Vicendese. She advanced to second after a one-out ground out but was stranded on third.
- After retiring the first 10 batters she faced, Zigmund allowed her first base runner in the fourth on a single.
- WVWC threatened with two leadoff singles in the fifth, but a pair of key defensive by Vicendese – getting the leadoff runner on a sacrifice bunt and a double play after a lineout to Shaw-Tait turned into a double play.
- With three outs remaining, a two-out single gave WVWC life, but Zigmund forced a popout to Smallwood for the final out of the regional.
Atlantic Region Pod 1 Results
Thursday, May 11
| Game 1 |
11:00 AM |
#1 East Stroudsburg def. #8 Bowie State, 6-2 |
BOXSCORE |
| Game 2 |
1:30 PM |
#4 West Chester def. #5 West Virginia Wesleyan, 6-3 |
BOXSCORE |
Friday, May 12
| Game 3 |
11:00 AM |
#1 East Stroudsburg def. #4 West Chester, 8-0 (5 Inn.) |
BOXSCORE |
| Game 4 |
1:30 PM |
#5 West Virginia Wesleyan def. #8 Bowie State, 9-1 |
BOXSCORE |
| Game 5 |
4:00 PM |
#5 West Virginia Wesleyan def. #4 West Chester, 6-4 |
BOXSCORE |
Saturday, May 13
| Game 6 |
11:00 AM |
#1 East Stroudsburg def. #5 West Virginia Wesleyan, 1-0 |
BOXSCORE |
Up Next
- The Warriors will host the NCAA Super Regional against No. 3 seed Charleston next week. The two-day double-elimination begins on Thursday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m. The second game is slated for Friday, May 19 at noon, while game three (if necessary) will be played right after at 2:30 p.m.
