Bloomsburg - 2010 PSAC softball champions
Bloomsburg Wins PSAC Softball Championship
Bloomsburg's Host Site
Championship Series Recap/Schedule
Saturday, May 1
Bloomsburg 7, California 5
Recap Courtesy of Bloomsburg Sports Information
Tournament Most Valuable Player Mandy Koch (Dauphin, Central Dauphin) went 2-4 and drove in three runs to lead Bloomsburg University to a 7-5 win over California (PA) on Saturday as the Huskies captured the 2010 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Softball Championship.
The title is the 15th in school history for the Huskies and the first since the 2002 season.
The Huskies got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning taking advantage of two California errors. With two outs Lacy Mauro (Jersey Shore, Jersey Shore) reached on an error. Emily Young (Nescopeck, Central Columbia) then reached on a throwing error by the shortstop with Mauro racing all the way home for a 1-0 lead.
Cal put two runners on in the top of the second with one out, but pitcher Shavaun Fisher (Coplay, Allentown Central Catholic) worked out of the jam for Bloomsburg. Bloomsburg made it 3-0 in the third inning putting together a two-out rally. Mauro and Young singled to put runners on first and second. Koch then singled scoring Mauro for a 2-0 lead. Sam Pientack (Archbald, Valley View) then blooped a ball over the head of the shortstop into shallow left field for a single scoring Young for a 3-0 lead. The Huskies did load the bases, but the Vulcans escaped without further damage.
The Vulcans finally got to Fisher in the fourth inning. Julie Mackenzie led off the inning with a single followed by a long homer to centerfield by Amanda Wallace to make it a 3-2 game. After an out, Julia Mueller reached second on a two-base error. Kayleigh Braim then doubled home Mueller to tie the game at 3-3. On the play, though, Mueller was thrown out at third attempting to stretch the hit into a triple. Merissa Daley then doubled followed by a two-run homer by Danielle Easton to put the Vulcans on top 5-3.
The Huskies regained the lead in the home fourth scoring three times. Casey Massimini (Downingtown, Downingtown West)singled in the infield and stole second. Danielle Lazorka (Williamsport, Jersey Shore) then singled moving Massimini to third. Mauro then bunted with Massimini racing home and
Mauro safe at first. After a ground out moved Mauro to second, Koch delivered the go-ahead runs with a two-run single to make it 6-5.
In the bottom of the fifth the Huskies added an insurance run when Lori Neyhard (Bloomsburg, Central Columbia) singled, moved to second on a sacrifice and scored on a single by Shiko for a 7-5 lead.
In the sixth Cal threatened getting runners at second and third with one out, but Fisher again worked out of the jam to keep a 6-5 game. In the seventh Fisher retired the side in order setting off a celebration for Bloomsburg and retiring head coach Jan Hutchinson.
Bloomsburg, 44-5, will now await word on the NCAA playoffs which start on May 14 with regional action. The NCAA tournament bids will be announced on May 9.
Friday, April 30
Recaps Courtesy of Bloomsburg Sports Information
Game 1 - California 13, West Chester 1 (5)
Kristen McKenzie went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI as California defeated West Chester 13-1 in five innings in the first game of the 2010 PSAC Softball Tournament Championship Series on Friday at Jan Hutchinson Field in Bloomsburg.
The Vulcans got started early, getting five runs on four hits in the bottom half of the first inning. Already with two runs in the inning, McKenzie doubled to left center, bringing home two more. Julia Mueller then finished off the inning with another RBI double one batter later.
West Chester picked up one in the next half inning after a double by Kate Kmiecinski brought home Erin MacNamee, who had singled and stolen second. Cal came back with two more in the bottom half of the second on a two-run shot by Alyson Johnson, then piled on six more in the fourth to take a commanding 12-run lead. McKenzie had a RBI single and Jillian Russell blasted a three-run double to right center.
Lauren Shaheen started and went the entire way in the circle for the Vulcans, striking out four and giving up just four hits and one earned run.
Game 2 - Bloomsburg 9, West Chester 1 (6)
Sam Pientack (Archbald, Valley View) went 2-for-2 with a homer and four RBI as Bloomsburg University defeated West Chester 9-1 in six innings in game two of the 2010 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Softball Tournament Championship Series on Friday at Jan Hutchinson Field.
The Huskies (42-5) jumped up on West Chester quick, scoring five runs in the first inning. Mandy Koch (Dauphin, Central Dauphin) drove in the first run of the game on a sac fly to center, bringing home Nikki Shiko (Shamokin, Southern Columbia) who had led off with a double. After an RBI single by Jenna Hampton (Catawissa, Southern Columbia), Pientack hit a blast over the wall in left, bringing home three runs.
The Golden Rams got their run in the third, as Sam Ingersoll's fielder's choice brought home Erin MacNamee, who led off the inning with a double to center. Both teams went scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when the Huskies loaded the bases with a pair of singles from Lacy Mauro (Jersey Shore, Jersey Shore) and Emily Young (Nescopeck, Central Columbia) and a walk from Koch. Hampton then walked to bring home Mauro and Pientack flied out to right, bringing home Young. Bloomsburg added its third run of the inning on an RBI single from Lori Neyhard (Bloomsburg, Central Columbia), scoring Koch.
The Huskies ended it in the bottom of the sixth when Koch singled, bringing home Danielle Lazorka (Williamsport, Jersey Shore), who had a leadoff walk.
West Chester, eliminated from the tournament with the loss, ends its season 32-18 and winners of the PSAC East.
Shavaun Fisher (Coplay, Allentown Central Catholic) increased her record to 27-4 with a complete game, 11-strikeout, two-hit performance. Shiko and Mauro each collected two hits apiece for the Huskies while Koch and Hampton both had two RBI.
The Huskies will now face California, 13-1 winners in game one, at 3:00 p.m.
Game 3 - Bloomsburg 3, California 2
Bloomsburg advanced to the title game of the 2010 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championships with a 3-2 win over California (PA) on Friday afternoon. The Huskies will face California again on Saturday at noon needing to be beat the Vulcans just once to claim the PSAC title. If California beats the Huskies, the two teams will meet at 2 p.m. in the deciding game.
After the Huskies retired the Vulcans in the top of the first, Bloomsburg’s Nikki Shiko (Shamokin, Southern Columbia) led off the bottom of the inning with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Lacy Mauro (Jersey Shore, Jersey Shore) then reached on an error by the third baseman with Shiko holding third. Mauro stole second, but both runners were left stranded when Cal’s Maria Greco fanned the next three batters.
In the bottom of the third the Huskies finally broke through scoring three times. With one out, Shiko homered to left to make it 1-0. After a ground out, Mauro and Emily Young (Nescopeck, Central Columbia) singled putting runners on the corner. Mandy Koch then singled home Mauro to make it 2-0. Jenna Hampton (Catawissa, Southern Columbia) then singled. But on the throw back to the infield, the ball got away allowing Young to score the third run.
Cal got one run back in the fourth when Alyson Johnson got a one-out triple and scored on a single by Julie MacKenzie. In the fifth, Cal scored a second run and had the bases loaded with one out, but Huskies pitcher Shavaun Fisher (Coplay, Allentown Central Catholic) got fly out and a ground out to end the threat.
The Vulcans also threatened in the sixth inning putting two runners on base with two outs, but Fisher again worked out of the jam. In the seventh inning Fisher retired California in order to send Bloomsburg to the title game.
Fisher allowed seven hits and did not walk a batter while striking out seven. Shiko went 2-3 with an RBI, while MacKenzie was 2-3 with an RBI for the Vulcans, now 34-11.
Bloomsburg improves to 43-5 with the win.