• Box Score vs. Winston-Salem State
• Box Score vs. Kutztown

INDIANA, Pa. (May 15) – Junior shortstop Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic) tied the single-season school record for homers to help lead the Vulcans to a 3-0 victory over Winston-Salem State on Sunday afternoon before they were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament with a 4-3 loss to Kutztown in walk-off fashion.

With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team finishes the season with a 29-14 overall record. The Vulcans finished only one win shy of posting their third-straight 30-win season and have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 17 times in the last 18 years.

Russell, the two-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Player of the Year, tied the school record with her 14th homer of the season on Sunday. She shares the single-season record with Jen Wagner (1994) and Jennifer Doty (2005). Through three seasons with the program, Russell ranks third in school history behind only Kristin Heslop (38) and Wagner (37) with 33 career homers.

After the game against Winston-Salem State was suspended yesterday, the teams resumed the game on Sunday in the bottom of the second inning at 12:44 p.m. (following a two-plus hour rain delay). With two outs and runners on the corners, the Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when junior left fielder Kristen McKenzie (Senneville, Quebec/St. Thomas) collected an RBI single to score junior designated player Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) from third.

In the sixth, the Lady Rams moved a runner into scoring position (second time of the game) with a fielder's choice and ground-out. Cal U then added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh to expand its lead to 3-0. Freshman Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) reached base to open the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on a two-run homer by Russell.

Freshman Kaitlyn Schilling (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) earned the victory to improve to 10-6 this season after tossing a three-hit, complete-game shutout. She issued only one walk and tied her season high with seven strikeouts in her first appearance since April 21.

Winston-Salem State's Brittany Lane (16-7) suffered the loss after allowing three runs (all earned) on five and five walks in 7.0 innings, while striking out seven.

Against Kutztown, Cal U tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth before committing a pair of errors in the seventh to suffer its second loss of the tournament. The Vulcans were limited to only four hits and committed five errors in the loss.

Schilling (10-7) suffered the loss after allowing one run (unearned) on one hit and three walks in 4.0-plus innings of relief. Fellow freshman Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) made the start and yielded three runs (two earned) on five hits in 2.0-plus innings.

After a scoreless first, the Golden Bears took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second on three hits, two sacrifice bunts and one error. Cal U responded with a run in the third to cut the deficit to 3-1 after an RBI single by freshman catcher and leadoff hitter Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary).

Kutztown attempted to counter in the third before Schilling registered a strikeout and pop-out to strand a pair of runners in scoring position. The Golden Bears then loaded the bases in the fifth before Schilling ended the inning with a ground-out to first. In the top of sixth, freshman second baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) belted a two-run homer (seventh of the year) to tie the game at 3-3.

The Golden Bears, who finished the game with 10 runners left on base (eight in scoring position) again stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the sixth before scoring the winning run in the seventh. Third baseman Nicole Henninger, the PSAC East Player of the Year, reached on an error to open the inning and scored on the following play when catcher Katie Lynch executed bunt with a throwing error allowing Henninger to score from first.

Kutztown's Samantha Derr (21-9) earned the complete-game win after allowing three runs (one earned) with three strikeouts in 7.0 innings.

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 d. Kutztown, 2-1
Game 4 - Winston-Salem State vs. California (Pa.), 0-0 (suspended)

Sunday, May 15
Game 4 - California (Pa.) d. Winston-Salem State, 3-0 (WSS eliminated)
Game 5 - Kutztown d. California (Pa.), 4-3 (California eliminated)

Monday, May 16
Game 6 - Kutztown vs. IUP, 10 a.m.
Game 7 - If necessary, same teams as in Game 6, TBA