• Box Score

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (May 1) – Despite rallying to score five runs in the fourth, the No. 16 Vulcans suffered a 7-5 loss to No. 6 Bloomsburg in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship on Saturday afternoon at Jan Hutchinson Field.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team falls to 34-12 overall. Meanwhile, Bloomsburg improves to 44-5 this season. Both the Huskies and Vulcans will likely be selected to the NCAA Tournament, as they were ranked first and second, respectively, in the latest Atlantic Regional rankings.

Trailing 3-0 after three innings, the Vulcans scored five runs on five hits and one error in the top of the fourth to take a 5-3 lead. Senior center fielder Julie Mackenzie (Mississauga, Ontario/Meadowvale) opened the inning with a single before junior right fielder Amanda Wallace (Oakmont, Pa./Penn Hills) belted a two-run homer (sixth of the season). Later in the inning, senior designated player Kayleigh Braim (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) collected a RBI double before being thrown out at third after attempting to stretch the hit into a triple. Following a double by junior second baseman Merissa Daley (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair), junior third baseman Danielle Easton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) blasted a two-run longball (eighth of the season).

The Huskies then regained the lead with three runs in the bottom of inning, 6-5. Bloomsburg later added a two-out insurance run in the fifth to take a 7-5 lead.

Junior Maria Greco (Pickering, Ontario/Notre Dame Catholic) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (all earned) on six hits in 3.1 inning of relief. Bloomsburg starter Shavaun Fisher improved to 29-4 this season after yielding five runs (two earned) on seven hits in a complete game.

Easton led the offense with two hits, while both Easton and Wallace collected two RBI in the loss.

Cal U will now wait until next Monday, May 10, to see if it receives an at-large bid to the 2010 NCAA Division II Tournament. The Vulcans have competed in the NCAA Tournament 15 times in the last 16 years with five NCAA regional titles (1994, 96-98) and back-to-back National Championships (1997-98).

PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Friday, April 30
Game 1 - California (Pa.) d. West Chester, 13-1 (5 innings)
Game 2 - Bloomsburg d. West Chester, 9-1 (6 innings) - West Chester eliminated
Game 3 - Bloomsburg d. California (Pa.), 3-2

Saturday, May 1
Game 4 - Bloomsburg d. California (Pa.), 7-5 - California (Pa.) eliminated