Shepherd 8, Kutztown 3 (Courtesy of Shepherd Sports Information)
Shepherd University used a 12-hit attack en route to an 8-3 win over Kutztown University in first round action of the NCAA Atlantic Regional Softball Tournament at Lilly Park on Friday. The Rams recorded their first regional win in program history and became just the second WVIAC team (West Virginia Wesleyan) to win a regional softball game.
Shepherd plated four runs in the top of the first inning after enduring a 30-minute delay due to lightning. Junior outfielder Amber Dudek (Sterling, VA/Park View) slapped an RBI- single to score junior shortstop Courtni Williams (Charles Town, WV/Musselman) with the game’s first run. Sophomore Kris Durham (Queen Anne, MD/Easton) added a two-run single and junior second baseman Cammie Orlandi (Owings, MD/Northern) tacked on an RBI-single to give the Rams a four-run advantage.
Kutztown threatened in the third with two on and one out, but sophomore pitcher Tricia Bettura (Canfield, OH/Canfield) worked out of the jam by getting Kristen Cornelius out at home on Maria Schiavo’s fielder’s choice and retiring Maria Isgro on a pop up.
The Golden Bears cut the Shepherd lead to 4-3 with four runs in the fourth. A two-run double by Nicole Henninger and an RBI-single by Brianna Knipe keyed the rally.
Shepherd answered back in the fifth when Dudek led off with a double and scored on a single off the bat of sophomore third baseman Chelsie Oals (Hedgesville,WV/Hedgesville) to take a 5-3 lead.
The Rams tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth when Orlandi led off with a double and Williams blasted a one-out homer to left to give the Rams a 7-3 lead. Junior first baseman Nichole Pitcock (Sterling, VA/Park View) doubled in the seventh and later scored on a ground out by Oals for the game’s final run.
Dudek and Orlandi each had three hits for the Rams while Williams added a pair. Henninger went 2-for-3 to pace the Golden Bears.
Sophomore pitcher Tricia Bettura (Canfield, OH/Canfield) (7.0 IP, 8 Ks, 1 BB) posted another solid performance as she improved to 20-7 on the year. Kutztown starter Katlin Arbogast (0.1 IP, 1K, 0 BB) took the loss to fall to 24-11.
Shepherd improves to 36-14 on the year, while Kutztown falls to 41-17. The Rams will face host California (Pa.), a 7-4 winner over Fairmont State in the earlier game, at noon on Saturday in second round tournament action. Kutztown will take on Fairmont State at 2:30 p.m.
Indiana (PA) 3, WV Wesleyan 1 (Courtesy of Bloomsburg Sports Info)
Pitcher Erin Holloway allowed just three hits to lead Indiana, PA (IUP) past West Virginia Wesleyan (WVW), 3-1, in the second game of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region 1 tournament at Bloomsburg University in a game delayed for nearly two and a half hours by rain.
IUP took a 1-0 lead in the game in the top of the first inning. With one out Dee Eppinger walked, stole second and scored on a single by Kelsey Ferguson. IUP also threatened in the second, third and four innings, getting two runners on base in each inning, but Bobcat pitcher Patricia Moreno was able to work out of the jams and keep the game 1-0.
In the bottom of the fourth West Virginia Wesleyan had runners at second and third with one out when the rains came and delayed the game for nearly two and a half hours. When play resumed the Bobcats tried a squeeze play, but the runner was out at home putting runners at first and third with two outs. KC Carey then worked a walk for WVW and on ball four the pitch was wild allowing Kashilla Young to score from third. Holloway, though, got the final out via strikeout and the game stayed tied at 1-1.
IUP went ahead for good in the top of the sixth inning. Stefanie Poates singled to lead off with Jen Beaver coming in to pinch run. After a bunt moved Beaver to second, Michelle Bivona doubled to left scoring Beaver to make it 2-1. After a strikeout, Marissa Leslie singled home Bivona for a 3-1 lead for the Crimson Hawks.
Holloway allowed just one base runner in the sixth and put down the Bobcats in order in the home seventh to earn the win.
IUP, 36-10, will face Bloomsburg, a 5-2 winner over Chowan, on Saturday at 11 a.m. West Virginia Wesleyan, 43-12, will face Chowan in an elimination game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
California (PA) 7, Fairmont State 4 (Courtesy of Fairmont State Sports Info)
California used three home runs to power past Fairmont State, 7-4, Friday afternoon at Lilly Field. Jessie Faloon had a pair of hits to pace the Falcon offense. Fairmont State will now play the loser of Shepherd vs. Kutztown tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
California (35-12) got two home runs and three RBI from Alyson Johnson. Danielle Easton also had two hits and three RBI for the Vulcans.
FSU also received hits Abbey Wilson, Kayla Gray Elizabeth Derrick, Brooke Keene and Danielle Dalton. Derrick, Wilson and Keene were credited with RBI. Dalton scored twice for the Falcons.
Chelsea Cobb took the loss for the Falcons. She pitched 5.2 innings allowing seven runs (six earned) on 12 hits. She struck out two.
Cal jumped on the Falcons early with three runs in the first inning on a two-run home run from Easton followed by a solo shot from Johnson.
The Falcons responded with a run in the top of the second. With two outs, Dalton and Faloon had back-to-back singles, followed by an RBI double down the line from Wilson. The Falcons got another run in the top of the third inning when Keene scored on a hit from Derrick.
The Vulcans added a single run in thebottom of the third on a pop fly to shallow left that Simon was unable to handle. Once again, though the Falcons were able to mount a comeback and tie the game at 4-4 with a single run in the fourth on an RBI from Keene and an RBI from Derrick after Gray led the inning off with a double.
Cal's game-winning run came on a solo shot from Johnson. The ball looked like an innocent fly ball to left but carried over the fence in the wind. The Vulcans added two more for good measure in the bottom of the sixth to put the game away.