QUAKERSTOWN, Pa. -- After a slow start, the (4W) IUP softball team rallied with a five-run fourth inning to take the lead and secure a win over (5E) Shippensburg in the opening round of the PSAC Tournament.
On the mound was Kendall Young who improved to 15-5 on the season. Reagan Rand tallied two hits, while five other players each contributed one hit.
In the bottom of the first, Madison Pikula led off with a walk and stole second. Maddie Griffin with a 1-2 count was hit by pitch to reach first base. A groundout from Jordan Sylvia advanced both runners, however two strikeouts ended the inning.
In the top of the second inning, Shippensburg led off with a single and a sacrifice bunt advanced the runner to second. An RBI single down the left field line scored the Raiders first run. Shippensburg doubled to third base, but Rand forced the second out, before a pop up ended the inning, leaving two stranded.
The teams headed into the third inning with Shippensburg ahead, 1-0. In the fourth, the Raider's homered to left center to get ahead 2-0.
After leaving five runners stranded through the first three innings, IUP scored five runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth to get ahead, 5-2. Patella reached first on a dropped third strike, Jess Cekada singled up the middle, and Brianna Pusateri was hit by a pitch which loaded the bases. Pikula's walk sent Patella across the plate. With two outs, Sylvia and Rand both delivered two RBI doubles to left field to drive in four more runs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Griffin singled to second base and scored on Truax's sac fly to centerfield.
Shippensburg hit their second home run of the day to right field to put them at three runs, but a swinging strikeout ended the game.
IUP will play top-seeded East Stroudsburg in game six at 3:00 p.m.
Game Six - East Stroudsburg
QUAKERSTOWN, Pa. — The (4W) IUP softball team dropped a hard fought battle and (1E) East Stroudsburg in game six on the first day, 1-0.
IUP limited No. 11 East Stroudsburg to two hits and no runs through the first six innings. In the bottom of the seventh, Young gave up three hits and the winning run.
ESU recorded 16 strikeouts and gave up just three hits. Madison Pikula singled through the right side in the top of the fourth and then stole second but was left on base. IUP's second hit came in the top of the fifth on Delaney Patella's single to shortstop. The final hit came in the top of the seventh from Jordan Sylvia's single to shortstop. Syvlia advanced to second on a wild pitch and Patella drew a walk, but both were stranded on a swinging strikeout.
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