Quakertown, Pa. – Lifted by a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning by senior catcher
Natalie Wideman, the Vulcans won their first PSAC Softball Championship since 2000 with a 4-3 win over Shippensburg Saturday afternoon at Veterans Park.
California rallied from behind in each of its three wins Saturday, including a walk-off two-run home run by sophomore
Lindsay Reicoff to give the Vulcans a 5-4 win over Shippensburg to force a winner-take-all final game against the Raiders. Cal U earned its spot in the title game with a walk-off single by senior third baseman
Shelby Lia to propel the team to a 3-2 win over IUP.
With the three wins, Cal U improves to 35-5 overall and wins the PSAC Championship for the first time since 2000. The team had previously been the PSAC runner-up four times since 2000, including last season. The Vulcans also earn the automatic qualifier (AQ) berth from the conference into the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA selection show will air on Monday, May 5 at 10 AM. Click here to watch selection show.
With the second game of the PSAC Championship tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Wideman, the Championships’ MVP, smacked a go-ahead, game-winning solo home run to help the Vulcans secure the title.
Alex Sagl earned the win for the Vulcans. She tossed 2.2 innings of relief and held the Raiders to four hits, zero runs and struck out four. Freshman
Kaity Davis earned the start and allowed three runs on five hits with one strikeout in 4.1 innings pitched.
Wideman and
Erica Vallecorsa each tallied three hits and one RBI. Lia also contributed a 2-for-4 effort with a RBI and a run scored in the win.
In the first game of the PSAC Championship, Cal U rallied for four-unanswered runs, including a walk-off two-run home run by Reicoff, to earn a 5-4 win and force a decisive game for the PSAC Championship.
Sagl earned the win after pitching 3.0 innings of shutout ball in relief. She held the Raiders to one hit and struck out a pair to earn the win. Shippensburg pitcher
Emily Estep (23-3), who entered the PSAC Tournament as the league leader in wins and ERA, was saddled with the loss. She allowed five runs on nine hits and struck out six in 6.1 innings pitched.
Reicoff and
Shelby Heyd had identical lines, finishing with two hits, a home run, two RBI and a run scored. Lia and Wideman each added a pair of base hits, while
Megan Jahoda finished the game with the solo home run.
In an elimination game, the Vulcans advanced to the finals of PSAC Tournament for the second-straight year with a 3-2 victory against IUP, the No. 2 seed from the West, on Saturday morning.
Against the Crimson Hawks (32-15), the Vulcans scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back, two-out singles. Junior shortstop
Breanna Morris reached on an infield single and stole second Lia delivered the game-winning RBI single through the middle.
Sagl earned the victory after reentering the game in the top of the sixth. Sagl (21-3) scattered two hits and issued four walks over 4.0 innings (92 pitches), while recording six strikeouts. Davis tossed 3.0 innings of relief and allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits after entering in top of the third. IUP junior
Alexa Campbell (15-9) suffered the loss after yielding three runs (one earned) on nine hits in 6.2 innings (106 pitches).
Morris finished 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored, while
Kaity Finley went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Wideman collected a pair of hits and scored once.
DAY TWO
GAME NINE: WEST CHESTER SURVIVES GANNON
Quakertown, Pa. – West Chester defeated Gannon 2-1 with a walk-off homerun in game nine of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quakertown, Pa. on Friday.
Megan Kelly smacked the game-winning homerun in response to Gannon’s
Katie Dunn’s homerun hit in the top of the seventh to tie the game at one apiece. West Chester’s first run was scored by
Kelly Anderson off a
Kim Murl hit up the middle in the fourth inning.
The Golden Rams needed just five hits, two of which came off Kelly’s bat, to win the game and advance in the tournament.
Murl got the complete game win and allowed four hits and struck out four.
Box Score
West Chester Story
Gannon Story
GAME 10: IUP SHUTS OUT BLOOMSBURG
Quakertown, Pa. – IUP shutout Bloomsburg 9-0 in five innings in game 10 of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quakertown, Pa. on Friday.
Jasa Mitchell finished the game going 3-for-3 including three runs scored, three RBI, two round-trippers, and a double. IUP got two hits and a three-run homerun from
Hannah Mercer, while
Allison Viguers plated two more runs from her homerun in the fourth.
Alexa Campbell all just three hits in five innings of work. She walked one batter and struck out two Huskies in the win.
Box Score
IUP Story
Bloomsburg Story
GAME 11: SHIPPENSBURG ADVANCES TO TITLE GAME
Quakertown, Pa. – Shippensburg earned a 3-1 win over California in game 11 of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quakertown, Pa. on Friday.
With the win Shippensburg is slated to play in the PSAC Championship game on Saturday, May 3. The Raiders will face the winner of California versus IUP that will be played on Saturday morning.
California took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning from a
Shelby Heyd single that scored
Breanna Morris.
Shippensburg responded with back-to-back homeruns in the fourth.
Taylor Pattillo put one over the left field fence before
Taylor Weisman smacked one beyond the center field fence to give the Raiders a 2-1 advantage. Pattillo finished the scoring and gave Shippensburg a security run in the seventh with another homerun.
Emily Estep picked-up the complete game win. She struck out seven Vulcans while allowing just four hits.
Box Score
Shippensburg Story
California Story
GAME 12: IUP WALKS-OFF WEST CHESTER
Quakertown, Pa. –
Jasa Mitchell’s bottom of the seventh inning homerun lifted IUP past West Chester 7-5 in game 12 of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quakertown, Pa. on Friday.
Mitchell’s homerun allowed the Crimson Hawks to advance to play California for the right to play in the PSAC Championship game.
West Chester notched two runs and IUP responded with one in the fourth inning, before
Megan Kelly put West Chester in the lead 5-1 with a three-run homerun in the sixth. IUP’s
Allison Viguers put the game within reach, 5-3, with a two-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth.
Then with two outs in the seventh,
Christi Mauk hit a hard-hit infield single that scored
Mary Ward to put IUP within one run of West Chester. Mitchell clinched the win for IUP with a two-out three-run homerun to keep IUP alive in the PSAC Championship.
Box Score
IUP Story
West Chester Story
DAY ONE
GAME ONE: CALIFORNIA DEFEATS MANSFIELD
Quakertown, Pa. – California defeated Mansfield 3-0 in the opening game of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quaktertown, Pa on Thursday. The game was originally scheduled for 11 AM, but finally go started at 3:30 p.m. due to heavy rainfall on Wednesday that prevented the field from being playable.
Natalie Wideman drove in two of the Vulcan’s runs and scored
Erica Vallecorsa each time.
Breanna Morris went a perfect 3-for-3, while Wideman was 3-for-4 at the dish.
California’s
Alex Sagl got the win in the circle going the distance with seven strikeouts and three walks in the shutout win.
Box Score
California Story
Mansfield Story
GAME TWO: BLOOMSBURG DOWNS GANNON
Quakertown, Pa. - Bloomsburg defeated Gannon 5-2 in game two of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quaktertown, Pa on Thursday. The game was originally scheduled for 11 AM, but finally go started at 4:30 p.m. due to heavy rainfall on Wednesday that prevented the field from being playable.
Bloomsburg saw four two-hit performances in its line-up with
Erika Yanora logging tow, as well as
Mandi Baier,
Hannah Moir, and
Taylor Parker. Baier scored twice for the Huskies, while
Rachel Fredell knocked in three runs, including a two-run homerun in the sixth.
Sarah Bertoni also accounted for two RBI in the contest.
Taylor Parker clinched the win for Bloomsburg, as she allowed just three hits for two earned runs with six strikeouts.
Box Score
Bloomsburg Story
Gannon Story
GAME THREE: WEST CHESTER POUNDS EDINBORO
Quakertown, Pa. – West Chester defeated Edinboro 10-1 in five innings in game three of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quaktertown, Pa on Thursday. The game was originally scheduled for 1:30 p.m., but finally go started at 5:35p.m. due to heavy rainfall on Wednesday that prevented the field from being playable.
West Chester scored quickly with a
Kelly Anderson two-run homerun in the first inning. Later in the third
Jessica Shuck homered-home three runs to put the Golden Rams ahead 10-0. Anderson and Shuck both tallied three hits in the contest.
Kim Murl earned the win for West Chester with four innings of work. She allowed just one earned run with two strikeouts and three hits.
Box Score
West Chester Story
Edinboro Story
GAME FOUR: SHIPPENSBURG DEFEATS IUP
Quakertown, Pa. – Shippensburg handed IUP a 7-1 loss in game four of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quaktertown, Pa on Thursday. The game was originally scheduled for 1:30 p.m., but finally go started at 5:50p.m. due to heavy rainfall on Wednesday that prevented the field from being playable.
The Raiders tacked-on three runs in the first inning, including homeruns from
Maddie Justice and
Taylor Weisman. IUP’s
Stefanie McCoy responded with a solo round tripper in the second, but it proved to be not enough for the Crimson Hawks.
Taylor Pattillo added one more homerun for the Raiders in the sixth inning.
Emily Estep got the win for Shippensburg with seven innings of work, 10 strikeouts, four hits and one earned run.
Box Score
Shippensburg Story
IUP Story
GAME 5: CALIFORNIA HANDLES BLOOMSBURG
Quakertown, Pa. – California defeated Bloomsburg 4-2 in game five of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quaktertown, Pa on Thursday.
California held a marginal one-run lead heading into the seventh inning with a the score standing 2-1, but
Natalie Wideman found the sweet spot and knocked the ball out of the park for a two run homerun. She scored
Erica Vallecorsa, who also scored California’s first run of the game off a
Lindsay Reicoff double.
Kaity Davis was California’s winning pitcher with four strikeouts, eight hits and one earned run.
Box Score
California Story
Bloomsburg Story
GAME 6: GANNON OUTLASTS MANSFIELD
Quakertown, Pa. – Gannon defeated Mansfield 3-2 in nine innings in game six of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quaktertown, Pa on Thursday.
Neither team could muster a run until Mansfield’s
Kate Pratt homered in the fourth, followed by a
Caitlyn Colucci notched a solo homerun to left field in the bottom of the inning.
Megan Miller of Mansfield responded with another solo homerun to put Mansfield ahead 2-1.
Jess Rectenwald tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with yet another round tripper.
Gannon finally stole the game in the ninth with a
Kristie Cortazzo single to left center that scored
Alexa Archambeault, who got aboard with a single.
Olivia Gumbita went the distance for the Golden Knights. She struck out 11 batters while giving up nine hits and two earned runs in nine innings of work.
Box Score
Gannon Story
Mansfield Story
GAME 7: SHIPPENSBURG TRUMPS WEST CHESTER
Quakertown, Pa. – Shippensburg beat West Chester 8-3 in game seven of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quaktertown, Pa on Thursday.
Shippensburg posted two homeruns against West Chester – one from
Taylor Weisman in the second and anther from
Taylor Pattillo in the fifth. Four different Raiders recorded doubles against the Golden Rams
. Maddie Justice went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI, while
Liz Parkins also notched two hits in the game.
Estep earned her second win of the day and allowed six hits and one earned run with nine strikeouts.
Box Score
Shippensburg Story
West Chester Story
GAME 8: IUP BOUNCES EDINBORO
Quakertown, Pa. – IUP defeated Edinboro 7-5 in eight innings in game eight of the 2014 PSAC Softball Championship at Veterans Park in Quaktertown, Pa on Thursday.
IUP led 5-2 through four innings, but Edinboro strung together some timely hits to tie the game at five.
Angela Deveraux clinched the win for the Crimson Hawks with a left center two-run homerun in the top of the ninth.
Megan Gould was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
IUP’s
Alexa Cambell gets the win with four innings of work. She gave up four hits and one earned run, while starter
Amanda Spindler also pitched four inning and allowed three hits and two earned runs.
Box Score
IUP Story
Edinboro Story
THURSDAY GAMES PUSHED BACK
UPDATE (4:00 pm):
Bloomsburg vs. Gannon, Field 2 4:30
West Chester vs. Edinboro, Field 1 5:30
IUP vs. Shippensburg, Field 4 5:30
UPDATE (1:00 pm): Game times now set for 3, 5, 7, 9. Please refer to above bracket. Please check
@psacsports for the latest updates.
UPDATE (12:15 pm): Game time for Games 1 and 2 will be determined at 1:00 p.m. All start times for Thursday have been pushed back. Please check
@psacsports for the latest updates.
UPDATE (10:00 am): Due to the heavy rainfall on Wednesday, the PSAC Softball Championship games on Thursday, May 1 have been pushed back. Games 1 and 2 will be contested at 1 p.m., Games 3 and 4 at 3 p.m., Games 5 and 6 at 5 p.m., and Games 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. at Veterans Park in Quakertown, Pa. Please check
@psacsports for the latest updates.
Quakertown, Pa. - Due to inclement weather the PSAC Softball skills clinic schedule for Wednesday, April 30 has been cancelled.
Quakertown, Pa. – The 2014 PSAC Softball Championship participants will host a free softball skills clinic at Quakertown Veterans Park in Quakertown, Pa. on Wednesday, April 30 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. weather permitting.
The clinic is free and open to girls in grades kindergarten through seventh grade that are members of the Richland Area Softball Association. All clinic participants will receive a complimentary four-day pass for free admittance into any PSAC Softball Championship contest. Participants are encouraged to bring their own equipment, including glove, bat and helmet.
“Community engagement is one of Division II’s pillars for success, so we are looking forward to giving our student-athletes the opportunity to improve the softball skills of these young players and inspire them to continue their softball careers,” said PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray.
A complete list of participating teams has yet to be decided, as only three on the eight championship slots have been claimed. With PSAC conference play wrapping up this weekend, California (Pa.), IUP and West Chester have clinched playoff spots and plan to attend the clinic.
The PSAC Softball Championship is a double elimination eight-team tournament that begins play on Thursday, May 1 at 11:00 a.m. at Veterans Park. The PSAC Championship game will be contested on Saturday, May 3.