WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The No. 6 East Stroudsburg University softball team swept Palm Beach Atlantic, allowing just three runs across 14 innings on the day, defeating the Sailfish, 4-0 and 6-3 on Saturday at Simpson Field.
With the victories, the Warriors improve to 3-1 after a split with Lynn on Friday. The Sailfish drop to 2-4 on the season.
Notables
- Reigning PSAC East Pitcher of the Year and NFCA All-Region First Team selection Paige Zigmund (W, 2-0) tossed her second consecutive shutout in game one, not allowing a run in 14 innings on the season. She allowed just singles in the outing while striking out three and walking Sailfish. In two starts, the Bethlehem native is holding foes to a .149 batting average and has recorded a .86 WHIP, allowing a total of seven hits (six singles, one double) in 14 innings.
- Entering the contest in the second inning with one out, Sarah Davenport (W, 1-1) picked up her first collegiate win, allowing just two hits over the final 4.2 innings of game two. She struck out 11 of the 16 batters she faced in a dominant showing from the freshman in just her second appearance.
- Jada Smallwood (2-7) led the Warriors with three RBIs on the day on two hits, which both came in game two. She tallied an RBI off an error and a sacrifice fly in game one and provided an RBI single to open the scoring in game two. She also registered a double in the second contest against the Sailfish. The 2023 All-PSAC East Second Team selection leads ESU with five RBIs through four games.
- Reilly Vicendese went 3-7 on the day, with a 3-4 mark in game one, scoring a pair of runs. She added an RBI in game two with a sacrifice fly.
- Abigail Weirich batted .375 on the day with three hits, including an RBI double to open the scoring in game one.
- Taylor Lipkins smacked a single in each contest, including an RBI single in game two.
- CCSU transfer Katie Master went 2-2 in game two, smacking an RBI double in game two.
- Shannon Harvey delivered an RBI single in game one to extend ESU's lead to 3-0.
- Maddy Pritchard also registered an RBI, lifting the Warriors to a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning of game two.
- Along with doubles from Smallwood, Weirich and Master, Kate Donaghue, Shannon Edelman and Denva Shaw-Tait belted two-baggers.
- In her ESU debut in the circle to start game two, Abbie Landrum allowed four hits and three earned runs in 2.1 innings.
How It Happened – Game One
- ESU took momentum from the top of the 1st in the opening game, with Vicendese starting a one out rally with an infield single and then stole second. Weirich followed with a double to left to score Vicendese. The speedy Weirich stole third and would score on an error by the first baseman, with Smallwood credited with an RBI. ESU grabbed an early 2-0 advantage.
- Zigmund allowed her first of four singles on the day in the bottom half of the frame with one out, with a sacrifice bunt advancing the runner into scoring position. After allowing a two-out walk to put runners on first and second, she fired a strikeout to escape the inning.
- The Warriors padded its lead in the top of the 4th, with Shaw-Tait opening the inning with a double. She advanced to third base on an error and came around to score on a Harvey single.
- ESU wrapped up the scoring in the top of the 5th. Back-to-back singles from Vicendese and Weirich put runners on second and third after Weirich took second with a steal. Smallwood sent a sacrifice fly to right field to score Vicendese.
- Zigmund continued her strong outing getting out of a jam in the fifth inning and picked up her second win in two appearances with her second shutout.
How It Happened – Game Two
- The Warriors came out swinging again in game two, as Smallwood smacked a two-out RBI single to score Lipkins in the top of the 1st. Lipkins reached via a walk and then stole second and third to score the first run.
- Landrum started her first outing strong, with a flyout and strikeout before conceding a single. She then forced a groundout for the third out.
- The Warriors added two runs to its lead in the top of the 2nd. After a popout, Edelman registered a double. Back-to-back walks by Donaghue and Master loaded the bases for Lipkins, who smacked an RBI single to score courtesy of runner Jade Hassler. Donaghue also scored on the play via a catcher's obstruction.
- Landrum retired all three batters in order in the 2nd. Smallwood opened the top of the 3rd with a double, but ESU could not capitalize.
- PBA would tie the contest in the top of the 3rd. A sequence of a single, hit-by-pitch, RBI single would score the first run. A groundout advanced runners to second and third, as a two-RBI double ended Landrum's day. Davenport entered the game with one out and a runner on second, recording back-to-back strikeouts to keep the game tied at three.
- The contest remained tied until the top of the fifth. Weirich singled and stole second and later advanced to third base on a groundout from Delaney Ridgell. Pritchard came up with a clutch single to score Weirich, as ESU grabbed a 4-3 lead.
- Davenport retired the first 11 batters she faced, as ESU added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the 6th. Donaghue started the rally with a double and advanced to third on a passed ball. Master followed with a two-bagger herself to score Donaghue. Lipkins followed with a sacrifice bunt to advance Master to third base, as Vicendese registered a sacrifice fly to score Master in the next at bat.
- Davenport allowed a double to begin the 7th but followed with a pair of strikeouts. After allowing a single to put runners on second and third, she fired her 11th strikeout of the game to pick up her first collegiate win.
Up Next
- The No. 6 Warriors head 53 miles south on I-95 on Sunday to face No. 5 Nova Southeastern, in a rematch of the 2023 NCAA Softball Championships that saw the Warriors defeat the Sharks, 2-1 in an elimination game. First pitch between ESU and NSU is set for 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at AD Griffin Sports Complex in Fort Lauderdale.
