CALIFORNIA CLAIMS PSAC TITLE (4/4)
Williamsport, PA — California (Pa.) (42-2) captured its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Softball Championship in five years and the school’s second-ever by defeating Kutztown 5-0 here this afternoon.
California scored the only run it would need in the game in the first inning after tournament most valuable player Christy Cameron led the game off with a single, advanced on a sacrifice and scored two batters later when clean-up hitter Jen Wagner singled her home.
Kutztown (34-16) advanced to the championship by knocking out Bloomsburg in the morning’s elimination game 4-3 in 11 innings. Bloomsburg had won the previous four PSAC Championships. Kutztown pitcher Tiffany Mattiuz went the distance in the win but couldn’t keep the California bats silenced in the championship game as Cal pounded out 14 hits.
California pitching tandem Danielle Penner and Rochelle Dierkes combined for a 1-hitteer against Kutztown. The pair pitched to just two batters over the limit from a perfect game allowing a walk and a single.
Cameron led California at the plate going 3-for-4 in the game with a double, scoring twice and driving a run while teammate Jennifer Caleriot was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the win.
California, Kutztown and Bloomsburg await calls from the NCAA Division II softball tournament selection committee which will announce next weekend’s championship pairings and sits on Monday afternoon.
Game 1
California 5, Kutztown 2
Game 2
Bloomsburg 6, Indiana 2
Game 3
Kutztown 3, Indiana 0 (IUP eliminated)
Game 4
California 8, Bloomsburg 0
Game 5
Kutztown 4, Bloomsburg 3 (11 inn.)(BU eliminated)
Game 6
California 5, Kutztown 0 (Kutztown eliminated
MVP – Christy Cameron, California