Wilkes University (PA) Colonel’s Jr Pitcher Gracen Staunton (2016 NW Guilford Graduate) continues to represent the area well in Wilkes-Barre, PA…….
On April 10th, the Junior pitcher became only the 6th player in Wilkes University history to her 200th career strikeout vs Clark Summit University in a 9-0 victory.
https://gowilkesu.com/news/2019/4/10/wilkes-softball-dominates-in-sweep-of-clarks-summit.aspx?path=softball
Here is the AD’s Twitter release: https://twitter.com/WilkesColonels/status/1116109894921465857
Congratulations to #WilkesSB junior Gracen Staunton on reaching 200 career strikeouts this evening! #EarnYourRank
Also, on 4/22 Staunton was named as the MAC Freedom conference Pitcher of the Week. Staunton went 2-0 in the circle, pitching 13 scoreless innings, allowing 5 hits while striking out 13 and walking only one for the week.
This was her third time winning the award as she was selected once in both her freshman and sophomore seasons as well.
https://gowilkesu.com/news/2019/4/22/softball-staunton-named-mac-freedom-pitcher-of-the-week.aspx
Here is the AD’s Twitter release: https://twitter.com/WilkesColonels/status/1120689040217518080
Finally, on 4/24, Staunton emphatically recorded her 100th career hit with a 3-run home run in a 5-4 victory over Susquehanna University.
With that, Staunton became the first player in Wilkes University history to record 200 strikeouts and garner 100 hits in a career.
https://gowilkesu.com/news/2019/4/24/wilkes-softball-takes-two-from-susquehanna-to-run-win-streak-to-seven.aspx?path=softball
Here is the AD’s Twitter release: https://twitter.com/WilkesColonels/status/1121189252732207104
Congratulations to #WilkesSB junior Gracen Staunton on reaching 100 career hits this afternoon! #EarnYourRank
Staunton Named MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week
ANNVILLE, PA – Wilkes University softball junior Gracen Staunton (Kernersville, NC/Northwest Guilford) was selected the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) Pitcher of the Week as announced by the conference office this morning.
Staunton had two outstanding outings in the circle last week to earn the award for the first time this season and for the third time in her career. She also won the award once as a freshman and once as a sophomore.
In two shutout starts last week, Staunton struck out 13 batters in 13.0 innings of work to help the Colonels to a 4-0 week. She faced the minimum of 18 batters through six innings of a 5-0 win over Marywood. Staunton allowed just one hit, walked none and struck out five batters to pick up the combined-shutout of the Pacers on Wednesday. She followed that the next day with a complete-game four-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over Delaware Valley in conference action. Staunton walked just one and struck out eight batters against the Aggies.
The Colonels return to the field to close out the regular season with a non-conference doubleheader against Susquehanna at the Ralston Athletic Complex on Wednesday, April 24 at 5:00 p.m. before traveling to FDU-Florham on Saturday, April 27 for their final MAC Freedom doubleheader of the season.
Wilkes Softball Dominates in Sweep of Clarks Summit
EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University softball team dominated every aspect of its non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday evening, defeating Clarks Summit University 9-0 in game one before taking game two 19-0, both in five innings. Game two was the most runs the team has scored since game two against the Defenders last season, when it scored 17 runs.
The Colonels are now 17-12 this season.
Wilkes got on the board in game one with two runs in the bottom of the second. Erin Cabry (York, PA/Central York) led off the inning reaching on a throwing error by the third baseman and proceeded to steal both second and third, coming home on a passed ball. Later in the inning, Haley Welker (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) launched a solo home run over the left field wall to finish the scoring in the inning.
The Colonels added two more runs in the bottom of the third when Gab Giordano (Moscow, PA/Holy Cross) led off the inning with a double and came around to score on a single from Caitlin Brown (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove). After Cabry singled and Gracen Staunton (Kernersville, NC/Northwest Guilford) reached on an error to load the bases, Brown came in to score on a wild pitch to make the lead 4-0.
Wilkes finished the scoring in the bottom of the fourth with five runs. Welker led off the inning reaching second on an error by the third baseman and came in to score on pinch-hitter Jaime Martin’s (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) single to center. Giordano followed with her fifth home run of the season bringing in Martin. One batter later, Madison Ensley (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) hit a double down the right field line and came in to score on Brown’s double to left center. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Brown scored on a groundout from Cabry to finish the scoring.
Staunton improved to 7-5 with the win, tossing four innings allowing two hits with one walk and four strikeouts. With her first strikeout of the contest, Staunton became the sixth pitcher in program history to reach 200 strikeouts. Erika Gerace (Orwigsburg, PA/Blue Mountain) pitched the final inning allowing one hit.
Giordano (2-3, two runs, two RBI’s) and Brown (2-3, two runs, two RBI’s) led the way for the Colonels at the plate.
In game two, Wilkes scored four runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by the first home run of Cabry’s career, a two-run shot to deep left field. The Colonels added two more runs in the bottom of the second when Jumalon scored on an RBI single from Giordano, who advanced to second on the throw, stole third, and scored on a throwing error when the catchers throw went into left field as the lead stood at 6-0 after two innings.
The Colonels continued to add on to their lead with four runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a bases-loaded two-run single from Jordyn Kondras (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) that scored Martin and Caylee-Mae Williams (Yuba City, CA/River Valley). Later in the inning, Kondras and Rhiannon Aurand (Avondale, PA/Avon Grove) came around to score on an error that increased the lead to 10-0.
Wilkes added nine runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth to seal the win.
Aurand improved to 4-2 this season, allowing one hit over four innings with seven strikeouts and one walk. Gerace finished the game with a clean fifth.
Williams finished game two 4-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI’s. Kondras was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI’s while Giordano and Welker added two hits apiece.
The Colonels return to action on Saturday when they travel to King’s College for a 1:00 p.m. Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) doubleheader.
Wilkes Softball Takes Two from Susquehanna to Run Win Streak to Seven
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus logo
Next Game:
at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus
4/27/2019 – 1:00 p.m.
Wilkes Softball Takes Two from Susquehanna to Run Win Streak to Seven
EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University softball team was able to extend its current winning streak to seven games by taking both ends of a non-conference doubleheader against Susquehanna University at the Ralston Athletic Complex Wednesday night. The Colonels won game one 5-4 on a walk off wild pitch and took game two by a 3-1 score.
Wilkes improved to 24-13 overall with the victories and Susquehanna, out of the Landmark Conference, dropped to 18-15.
The Colonels had to come from behind to take game one in exciting fashion. The River Hawks went ahead with an unearned run in the top of the second inning. Wilkes would waste little time in tying the score after Gracen Staunton (Kernersville, NC/Northwest Guilford) led off the bottom of the frame with a double off the left centerfield wall. Staunton then moved to third on a two-out wild pitch with Haley Boyd (Escalon, CA/Escalon) at the plate. Boyd then walked and was attempting to steal second when the catcher’s throw went into centerfield allowing Staunton to come in to tie the game at 1-1 on the error.
A Brittany Hebda home run gave Susquehanna a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. The River Hawks then added two more unearned runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-1 lead. Rhiannon Aurand (Avondale, PA/Avon Grove) entered to pitch and recorded the final out of the fifth inning in relief of the starter Staunton.
Caitlin Brown (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove) started a two-out rally for the Colonels in the bottom of the fifth as she singled to right. Jaime Martin (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) then pinch ran for Brown and moved to second when Erin Cabry (York, PA/Central York) reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. Staunton then made the visitors pay for the two-out error as the junior smacked a three-run home run over the left field fence to tie the score at 4-4. The home run counted as the 100th career hit for Staunton as well.
Aurand then worked two consecutive three-up, three-down innings for the Colonels in the circle which provided Wilkes with the chance for the walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh. Jordyn Kondras (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) singled to start the inning but was erased when Gab Giordano (Moscow, PA/Holy Cross) reached on a fielder’s choice play. Brown was then hit by a pitch and Cabry reached on a fielding error by the second baseman to load the bases. After a pop out Sarah Gibson (Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley) came to the plate with two outs. The junior worked the count and Gabby Bubba threw a wild pitch that allowed Giordano to race home and slide headfirst to the plate for the winning run.
Aurand improved to 6-3 with the victory as the freshman went the final 2.1 innings without allowing a baserunner. Staunton earned the no decision as she went 4.2 innings allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits and five strikeouts. Bubba took the loss for Susquehanna as she pitched 6.2 innings allowing five runs (zero earned) on seven hits and seven strikeouts.
Staunton finished game one 2-for-4 with three RBI’s and two runs scored. Kondras also had a multi-hit game as she finished 2-for-3.
Cabry provided the Colonels with a third-inning 2-0 lead in game two as she hit her second home run of the season to bring in Kondras who singled to start the inning.
Kondras again singled to start the fifth inning and would later come into score when Staunton hit one sharply to center as the Colonels lead grew to 3-0.
Celine Podlesney (Hazle Twp., PA/Hazleton) pitched a terrific game as she entered the seventh inning only allowing two hits. A one-out error gave the River Hawks some life as that runner eventually came into score. Podlesney was able to stay calm and got the final batter to pop out with the tying runs in scoring position. The junior improved to 9-5 on the season as she went 7.0 innings allowing one unearned run on four hits with three strikeouts.
Kondras went 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Cabry (2 RBI), Staunton (1 RBI), Gibson, Podlesney, Brown and Boyd all collected one hit apiece.
The Colonels close out the regular season with an important Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom doubleheader at FDU-Florham on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. One win by the Colonels would clinch their spot in the conference tournament which will be held at the Ralston Athletic Complex on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4.