Box Score

DRIFTON, PA - After giving up three runs in the first two innings, Kelly King (Nazareth/Bethlehem Catholic) settled down in the circle and the Crimson Hawks offense rallied, including a three-run fifth inning to give IUP a 4-3 comeback victory over 22nd-ranked California (PA) in its second game of day one at the 2012 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Softball Tournament on Wednesday afternoon at ASA of PA Jake Kislan Softball Complex.

The Crimson Hawks (26-12-1) remain in the winner's bracket and will play Lock Haven, the PSAC Central's top seed in the tournament, on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. Cal drops to the loser's bracket where the Vulcans will play Shippensburg in an elimination game at 10:00 a.m.

Cal (32-7) got things going in the bottom of the first inning as Natalie Wideman led off with a solo shot to left. The Vulcans put two more on the board in the second, taking advantage of two IUP errors and getting two hits, including an RBI single up the middle by Wideman, to take what seemed like a commanding 3-0 lead.

King and the IUP defense would then stiffen, shutting down Cal 1-2-3 in the third, setting the momentum for what would happen in the fourth and fifth innings.

Megan McCormick (Evans City/Seneca Valley) led off the top of the fourth with a single, advancing to second two batters later when Tara Waldo (Pittsburgh/Baldwin) forced a walk. After the second out of the inning, Ashley Strack (Johnstown/Westmont Hilltop) singled to center, bringing around McCormick from second to put the Crimson Hawks on the board.

After another hitless inning for Cal in the fifth, Jen Beaver (Chester Springs/Owen J. Roberts) got things going for IUP with a single to left. Marissa Leslie (Claysburg/Claysburg-Kimmel) then continued her hot streak with a double down the right field line, moving two runners into scoring position. Monica Iachini (Claysburg/Claysburg-Kimmel) then took advantage of her speed, forcing a throwing error by the third baseman on a quick play, as both Beaver and Leslie came around to score, tying the game at 3-3.

McCormick then stepped back up to the plate, knocking another single to center and made an excellent base running decision to advance to second when the center fielder bobbled the ball as Iachini moved over to third.

A pitching change and two batters later, Waldo forced another walk to load the bases before Mary Ward (Hatfield/North Penn) hit a deep sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Iachini easily from third as the Crimson Hawks completed the comeback to take a 4-3 lead.

King would continue her excellent performance in the circle, not allowing a single hit until Wideman singled through the left side with two outs in the seventh. That threat would end on the very next batter as King got the final batter to ground out to Waldo at second, ending the game.

Wideman had three of the Vulcans five hits on the day along with a pair of RBI. Kaitlyn Schilling entered in relief for starter Hope Spancake, giving up one hit in the final three innings.

McCormick finished 3-for-4 with a run scored, leading the way offensively for the Crimson Hawks. After giving up four hits in the first two innings, King settled down to allow just one hit and walked just one batter over the final five innings of work, moving to 18-6 on the year with her 21st complete game of the season.