BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — IUP softball advanced to the third day of the PSAC Tournament after splitting a pair of games Thursday, falling to Shippensburg 11-7 before eliminating Kutztown with an 11-1 run-rule victory in five innings.
In the opener against Atlantic Region No. 1 Shippensburg, the Crimson Hawks battled through a game that featured five lead changes before the Raiders pulled away with a four-run seventh inning.
Kendall Young started for IUP and pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits while striking out two. Freshmen Taylor Bumgardner and Madison Booth handled the remaining 3 2/3 innings.
Bumgardner took the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, marking the most runs she had surrendered since April 15 against West Liberty.
The Crimson Hawks totaled 12 hits — all singles — with Maddie Griffin and Jaycee Haidze collecting three hits apiece. Haidze drove in two runs, while first-team All-PSAC first baseman Emily Miller also had two RBIs on two hits.
IUP also struck out nine times, an uncommon total for the Crimson Hawks offense.
Facing elimination in Game 2, IUP responded with a dominant offensive performance against Kutztown.
The Crimson Hawks led 2-1 after the opening inning before erupting for nine runs in the third inning. Eight of those runs came with two outs as IUP broke the game open with five singles, two doubles and a home run in the frame.
Young earned her 15th win of the season, tossing all five innings while allowing one run on five hits and striking out three.
IUP advances to face the winner of West Chester and Seton Hill at 12:30 p.m. Friday.
West Chester entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed from the East with a 29-24 overall record and a 17-15 mark in PSAC play. The Golden Rams did not face a PSAC West opponent during the regular season.
IUP swept its season series against Seton Hill, outscoring the Griffins 52-10 across four meetings, including a doubleheader sweep in the final PSAC West series of the regular season.
