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CALIFORNIA (May 4) – Sophomore first baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) collected three hits and classmate Kaitlyn Schilling (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) tossed four-plus innings of relief on Friday afternoon, as the No. 23 Vulcans earned a 5-4 victory against Lock Haven at Lilley Field during the first day of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team improves to 33-8 overall. Cal U advances in the winners' bracket and will now face West Virginia Wesleyan tomorrow, Saturday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m. Meanwhile, Lock Haven falls to 28-19 this season and will play an elimination game against Bloomsburg tomorrow afternoon.

Schilling earned the win to improve to 14-3 this season after working 4.1 innings (53 pitches). She limited the Bald Eagles to one run (earned) on four hits and one walk. Sophomore starter Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) pitched just 2.2 innings on Friday, allowing three runs (all earned) on four hits and two walks. Lock Haven junior Sarah Morse (18-13) suffered the loss after surrendering four runs (all earned) on seven hits and two walks in 4.1 innings (62 pitches).

Lock Haven took a 3-0 lead in the top of third before Schilling ended the inning with a ground-out, which forced the Bald Eagles to leave runners on the corners. In the bottom of the third, senior catcher Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) and senior left fielder Kristen McKenzie (Senneville, Quebec/St. Thomas) opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Both runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt before Morse induced a pair of ground-outs that prevented a run from scoring.

Cal U cut into the deficit in the fourth with two runs on two hits and one walk. After freshman shortstop Breanna Morris (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) reached on a walk, Lia lined a double to right-center field before freshman right fielder Shelby Heyd (Innisfil, Ontario/Nantyr Shores Secondary) followed with a two-run double, 3-2.

In the fifth, the Vulcans tied the game and took the lead after scoring three runs on four hits. Sophomore second baseman Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) reached on a leadoff single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore designated player Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) delivered an RBI single before freshman center fielder Katie Natter (Baldwin, Pa./Baldwin) collected an RBI double. After a ground-out to the pitcher, Lia followed with a two-out RBI single through the middle, 5-3.

Lock Haven trimmed the deficit to 5-4 in the top of the seventh on a pair of doubles before Schilling sealed the victory with a strikeout and ground-out.

Lia paced the offensive effort, going 3-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Johnson finished with a pair of hits and Wideman extended her hitting streak to nine games.

Cal U returns to action at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament tomorrow when it hosts West Virginia Wesleyan, who captured the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) Tournament title last Saturday. Last season, the Vulcans suffered a 10-9 loss to the Bobcats while playing at the Salem Invitational in Virginia.

2012 NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, May 4
Game 1 – (#3) West Virginia Wesleyan d. (#6) Bloomsburg, 4-3
Game 2 – (#2) California (Pa.) d. (#7) Lock Haven, 5-4

Saturday, May 5
Game 3 – (#3) West Virginia Wesleyan vs. (#2) California (Pa.), 10:30 a.m.
Game 4 – (#6) Bloomsburg vs. (#7) Lock Haven, 1 p.m.
Game 5 – Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3, 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 6
Game 6 – Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7 – If necessary, same teams as Game 6, 3:30 p.m.