• Box Score

QUAKERTOWN, Pa. (May 4) – The California University of Pennsylvania softball team held a three-run lead on Saturday afternoon before allowing six-unanswered runs, including a walk-off homer in the 10th inning, to fall 10-7 to Kutztown in the championship game of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament at Veteran's Park.

With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 36-4 overall and will likely receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after being the top-ranked team in the Atlantic Region for the last three weeks. Cal U advanced to the championship game for the first time since 2010 and snapped a six-game losing streak in the league tournament.  Meanwhile, the Golden Bears improve to 29-21 this season and earn the league's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.

Junior second baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer, two runs scored and one stolen base. She is the fourth different player in school history to belt a single-season school record 14 homers, a feat most recently accomplished by three-time PSAC West Athlete of the Year Jillian Russell in both 2011 and 2012. In the tournament, Lia posted a .350 average (7-for-20) with four homers, 10 RBI and eight runs scored.

Junior right fielder Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) finished 3-for-4 with an RBI double and two runs scored, while sophomore center fielder Shelby Heyd (Innisfil, Ontario/Nantyr Shores Secondary) collected a pair of hits and RBI.

In the top of the first, Lia reached on an error and later scored on a two-out RBI double by Ellis. Kutztown answered in the second with back-to-back solo homers to take a 2-1 lead before Cal U countered with four runs in the third, 5-2. After the leadoff batter reached on an error, Lia belted a two-run homer before Heyd later collected a two-run double with two outs. The Golden Bears responded in the bottom of the inning with a two-run homer to trim the deficit to 5-4.

Cal U added to its lead with a solo homer by freshman third baseman Natalya Smarra (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) in the fourth and a two-out RBI double by junior catcher Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) in the fifth, 7-4. Kutztown answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on a fielder's choice and double-steal attempt to cut the lead to 7-6. In the sixth, the Golden Bears tied the score at 7-7 with three-straight singles before freshman Haley Bashada (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) retired the first two batters she faced to end the inning.

Both teams were held scoreless in the seventh and neither team was able to mount a scoring threat in extra innings until the first two batters for Kutztown in the bottom of the 10th reached base safely. Shortstop Brianna Knipe then sealed the first-ever league title for the Golden Bears with a three-run, walk-off homer, 10-7.

Bashada (7-2) suffered the loss after allowing three runs (all earned) on three hits in 3.2 innings of relief (49 pitches). Freshman starter Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar) took a no-decision despite allowing seven runs (five earned) on a season-high 11 hits in 5.1 innings (75 pitches). Kutztown sophomore Mary Kociencki (14-9) earned the win after yielding two runs (both earned) on five hits and two walks in 7.1 innings of relief (93 pitches).

The NCAA Selection Show will stream live on NCAA.com on Monday, May 6, at 10:30 a.m. EST. The Vulcans look to receive one of five at-large bids to Atlantic Regional Tournament, as Kutztown (PSAC), Chowan (N.C.) (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) and West Virginia State (West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) have already secured automatic berths by winning their conference tournaments.

PSAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 1
Game 1 - (C3) Bloomsburg d. (W3) Gannon, 7-1
Game 2 - (E3) West Chester d. (C1) Lock Haven, 4-1
Game 3 - (E2) Kutztown d. (W2) Mercyhurst, 4-1
Game 4 - (W1) California (Pa.) d. (C2) Mansfield, 6-2
Game 5 - (C3) Bloomsburg d. (E1) Shippensburg, 6-0
Game 6 - (W3) Gannon d. (C1) Lock Haven, 7-3 (Lock Haven eliminated)

Thursday, May 2
Game 7 - (E1) Shippensburg d. (C2) Mansfield, 4-2 (Mansfield eliminated)
Game 8 - (W3) Gannon d. (W2) Mercyhurst, 14-2 (Mercyhurst eliminated)
Game 9 - (E2) Kutztown d. (E3) West Chester, 11-3
Game 10 - (C3) Bloomsburg d. (W1) California (Pa.), 3-2
Game 11 - (E3) West Chester d. (E1) Shippensburg, 2-0 (Shippensburg eliminated) 
Game 12 - (W1) California (Pa.) d. (W3) Gannon, 4-1 (Gannon eliminated)

Friday, May 3
Game 13 - (E2) Kutztown d. (C3) Bloomsburg, 3-2 (8 innings)
Game 14 - (W1) California (Pa.) d. (E3) West Chester, 10-1 (5 innings) (West Chester eliminated)
Game 15 - (W1) California (Pa.) d. (C3) Bloomsburg, 4-0 (Bloomsburg elimiated)

Saturday, May 4
Game 16 - (E2) Kutztown d. (W1) California (Pa.), 10-7 (10 innings) (California (Pa.) eliminated)