Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game One Box Score

KISSIMMEE, FL – Perfection was achieved Wednesday afternoon in central Florida when Kelly King (Nazareth/Bethlehem Catholic) tossed a perfect game in the IUP softball team's 8-0 win over Lake Erie at the Rebel Spring Games. The Crimson Hawks would split the day's games after falling to Northwood 10-5 in game two.

King retired all 21 batters and struck out four en route to the first no-hitter from an IUP pitcher since Erin Holloway (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) did it in 2010. The Crimson Hawks defense was instrumental in preserving the effort behind King, making a number of excellent plays to keep the perfect game intact.

IUP was dominant from the plate as well in game one, posting eight unanswered runs. Marissa Leslie (Claysburg/Claysburg-Kimmel) got the scoring started in the fourth inning when she worked a walk with the bases loaded, and Jen Beaver (Chester Springs/Owen J. Roberts) would tack on another in the fifth when she smacked an RBI double to left center.

In a game that saw one of the rarest achievements in softball in King's perfect game, another extraordinary play came courtesy of Megan McCormick (Evans City/Seneca Valley), who nailed an inside-the-park home run to score two more runs in the sixth.

After an RBI groundout by Tara Waldo (Pittsburgh/Baldwin) gave the Crimson Hawks a 5-0 lead in the seventh, Stefanie McCoy (New Paris/Chestnut Ridge) would cap an incredible win for the Crimson Hawks with a three-run double.

The Crimson Hawks would strike first in game two when Beaver drilled a double that plated Waldo and Mary Ward (Hatfield/North Penn) and Ashley Strack (Johnstown/Westmont Hilltop) would follow with an RBI single, but the lead would be short-lived.

Northwood would score four unearned runs in the fifth after a two-out error would keep the inning alive for the Timberwolves.

IUP would regain the lead in the bottom of the sixth, however, as McCoy would knock Ward with a groundout and Monica Iachini (Claysburg/Claysburg-Kimmel) reached on a bunt single that scored Beaver.

It was not to be for the Crimson Hawks, however, as Northwood would respond with six unearned runs in the seventh to take a five-run lead heading into the bottom of the frame. Unfortunately, IUP could not muster a rally in the inning as the Timberwolves locked up the victory.

IUP completed a wild week in Florida on Wednesday with a 4-5-1 record at the Rebel Spring Games.