• Box Score

INDIANA, Pa. (May 13) – In its first action in three weeks, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team suffered a 3-2 loss to Kutztown on Friday afternoon during the first day of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament hosted by IUP.

With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 28-13 this season and will play an elimination game tomorrow, Saturday, May 14, against Winston-Salem State at 1:30 p.m. The Lady Rams suffered a 7-0 loss to the top-seeded and host Crimson Hawks in the first game of the tournament on Friday. Meanwhile, Kutztown improves to 40-14 overall and will face IUP tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Freshman Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) dropped to 14-4 on the year after allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits and two walks in 7.0 innings. She tossed her 10th complete game of the season on Friday afternoon and posted five strikeouts. Kutztown freshman Samantha Derr (20-9) earned the win after tossing 3.0 innings of scoreless, two-hit relief against the Vulcans.

After two scoreless innings, Kutztown took the lead in the top of the third with a pair of runs on two doubles and one error. Center fielder Jackie Hetzler started the inning with a double and scored on an error by the Vulcans on a sacrifice bunt attempt by left fielder Jennifer Stow, who later scored on a double by PSAC East Player of the Year Nicole Henninger.

The Vulcans countered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 2-2. With runners on the corners, junior designated player Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) collected an RBI single before senior third baseman Danielle Easton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) reached on a single to load the bases. After a pop-up, freshman right fielder Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) tallied a two-out RBI single to score Johnson and tie the game, 2-2.

In the sixth, the Golden Bears had runners on the corners with two outs before Hetzler delivered an RBI single that scored shortstop Brianna Knipe from third, 3-2. Cal U managed only a two-out base runner in the bottom of the inning and Kutztown threatened to add an insurance run in the seventh before Spancake induced a ground-out and fly-out to end the inning. Derr then sealed the victory by retiring Cal U in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Ellis and junior shortstop Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic) each collected two hits and combined for four of the team's six hits. Russell finished 2-for-4 with one run to extend her hitting streak to 16 games, while Ellis went 2-for-3 with one RBI.

Cal U returns to action tomorrow when it faces Winston-Salem State for the second time this year. In their season-opener in February, the Vulcans posted a 9-0 win in six innings against the Lady Rams behind three homers.

2011 NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, May 13
Game 1 - IUP d. Winston-Salem State, 7-0
Game 2 - Kutztown d. California (Pa.), 3-2

Saturday, May 14
Game 3 - IUP vs. Kutztown, 11 a.m.
Game 4 - Winston-Salem State vs. California (Pa.), 1:30 p.m.
Game 5 - Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 4 p.m.

Sunday, May 15
Game 6 - Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 3, 12 p.m.
Game 7 - If necessary, same teams as in Game 6, 2:30 p.m.