IUP - 2012 PSAC Softball Champions
IUP Wins Second Straight PSAC Softball Championship
Box Score
Drifton, Pa. - Ashley Strack's three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth capped a five-run inning as IUP rallied back from two four-run deficits to top Bloomsburg 10-9 in the PSAC softball championship game on Sunday afternoon. The win gives IUP its second straight and second overall PSAC title.
Tournament MVP Marissa Leslie went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and reached base in all four of her plate appearances from her spot at the top of the order. Jasa Mitchell and Mary Ward each drove in a pair of runs while Tara Waldo and Monica Iachini each scored a pair of runs. Leslie was named the MVP after hitting .733 (11-for-15) with eight runs scored, two doubles, a home run, two RBI and a team-high 16 total bases in the tournament. She compiled a .765 on-base percentage and a 1.067 slugging percentage in IUP's five tournament games.
There were six home runs hit in the game - four by Bloomsburg and two by IUP. Rachel Fredell three-run shot and Chrissy Belko's solo home run in the third gave the Huskies a 5-1 lead. The Crimson Hawks got two back in the bottom of the third on Mitchell's two-run double and the teams then traded runs in the fourth, with Bloomsburg's coming on Erika Yanora's solo homer. Waldo's solo shot brought cut the Bloomsburg lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth but then the Huskies' Sam Pientack drilled a three-run homer in the top of the sixth to stake Bloomsburg to a 9-5 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Crimson Hawks loaded the bases with no outs before Bloomsburg relief pitcher Caitlin O'Connor got the first two outs. Ward then drilled a two-run double to center to bring IUP to within two at 9-7 before Strack's big blow to put IUP on top. In the bottom of the seventh, IUP reliever Alexa Campbell got the first two outs before two singles and a walk loaded the bases to bring Pientack to the plate. But Campbell struck her out to preserve IUP's second straight championship.
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The 2012 PSAC Softball Tournament will be held at the ASA of PA Jake Kislan Softball Complex in Drifton, Pa., located at 44 West Coal Miners Drive in Drifton. (Please use intersection of 1st St. and Main St. [PA-Route 940] in Drifton if finding the facility using a GPS device)
Tournament Bracket (pdf)
ASA of PA Jake Kislan Softball Complex
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Tournament Schedule/Results
Wednesday, April 25
Game 1 - IUP 4, West Chester 1 Box Score I IUP Story I West Chester Story
Game 2 - Kutztown 4, Mercyhurst 0 Box Score I Kutztown Story I Mercyhurst Story
Game 3 - Bloomsburg 7, Gannon 1 (9) Box Score I Bloomsburg Story I Gannon Story
Game 4 - Lock Haven 9, Shippensburg 5 Box Score I Lock Haven Story I Shippensburg Story
Game 5 - IUP 4, California 3 Box Score I IUP Story I California Story
Game 6 - Mercyhurst 9, West Chester 6 (9) (West Chester eliminated) Box Score I Mercyhurst Story I West Chester Story
Thursday, April 26
Game 7 - Shippensburg 3, California 2 (California eliminated) Box Score I Shippensburg Story I California Story
Game 8 - Mercyhurst 6, Gannon 5 (Gannon eliminated) Box Score I Mercyhurst Story I Gannon Story
Game 9 - Bloomsburg 1, Kutztown 0 (9) Box Score I Bloomsburg Story I Kutztown Story
Game 10 - IUP 14, Lock Haven 10 Box Score I IUP Story I Lock Haven Story
Game 11 - Kutztown 8, Shippensburg 0 (5) (Shippensburg eliminated) Box Score I Kutztown Story I Shippensburg Story
Game 12 - Lock Haven 8, Mercyhurst 4 (Mercyhurst eliminated) Box Score I Lock Haven Story I Mercyhurst Story
Saturday, April 28
Game 13 - IUP 1, Bloomsburg 0 (8) Box Score I IUP Story I Bloomsburg Story
Game 14 - Lock Haven 9, Kutztown 1 (6) (Kutztown eliminated) Box Score I Lock Haven Story I Kutztown Story
Game 15 - Bloomsburg 7, Lock Haven 3 (Lock Haven eliminated) Box Score I Bloomsburg Story I Lock Haven Story
Sunday, April 28
Game 16 - IUP 10, Bloomsburg 9 Box Score I IUP Story I Bloomsburg Story