Softball - 2004 PSAC Championships

last updated 03/25/08

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• Official Tournament Homepage (at California's Website)
• KU Results (below)

Game 1 KU vs. California (PA) - Friday at 10:00 AM

Kutztown (27-16)         1
California (PA) (30-7)   4

CALIFORNIA, Pa. - The Golden Bears dropped a 4-1 final in the opening game of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Playoffs to California (PA).

     The Vulcans jumped out to an early lead, tagging KU starter Natalie Buch with three runs in the bottom of the second inning.  Cal added another in the fourth to push the lead to 4-0. 

     Adriane Willmer, who was 1-3, scored the Golden Bears lone run in the top of the sixth.  Buch took the loss to fall to 7-4.  She allowed seven hits over six innings.  Only two of the four runs credited to her were earned.

     Stacy Bricker had two hits for Kutztown, who will play Lock Haven at 2:00 PM in an elimination game.  Buch and Dani Spalik also had base hits for the Golden Bears.

     CUP spread the offense, with seven different players each getting a hit.  Maggie Fricko allowed just an unearned run to the Golden Bears on five hits.

     Kutztown is the second seed from the PSAC East, California (PA), the double-elimination tournament's host, is the West's top seed.  Cal squares off with Shippensburg, the top seed from the East at 4:00 PM.  Ship defeated Lock Haven in the day's second game.
 

Game 3 KU vs. Lock Haven - Friday at 2:00 PM

Kutztown (28-16)       9
Lock Haven (26-15)   6

CALIFORNIA, Pa. - Megan Achey hit a grand slam in the top of the first and Jess Balchikonas added solo bomb to lead off the second as KU bounced back to defeat Lock Haven 9-6.  The nine runs were the most the Golden Bears have scored in a game this season. 

     Kutztown jumped all over Lock Haven's starting pitcher, Molly Shuey, scoring five runs in her one-plus innings of work. The Golden Bears scored four in the first, on Achey's long ball, and three in the second to take a 7-1 lead.  In addition to the Balchikonas homer, Karli Hausman had an RBI single and later scored on an error.

     KU added two more in the top of the third, before the Bald Eagles mounted a comeback.  Lock Haven scored three in the third to cut the lead to 9-4 and added single runs in the fourth and seventh.

     Balchikonas went 2-3, scoring twice and driving in one.  Adriane Willmer finished 2-2, with a run scored and an RBI.  Stacy Bricker added a double.  Hausman scored twice.

     Cheryl Griffith  started and went 2.2 innings, allowing four runs.  Stacey Denlinger relieved her, hurling the last 4.1 innings and striking out five, to get the win.

     Courtney Hughes led the Bald Eagles, going 3-4 with a double and three RBI.  She also scored twice.  Shuey took the loss, allowing five runs on three hits and a walk in one inning.  The loss eliminates Lock Haven from the postseason.

     With the win, Kutztown remains for a rematch with California (PA).  The Vulcans lost 8-1 against Shippensburg in Friday's matchup of the early game winners.  Game five between KU and Cal is slated for 11:00 AM Saturday morning. 

Game 5 KU vs. California (PA) - Saturday at 11:00 AM

Kutztown (28-17)         2
California (PA) (31-8)   6

CALIFORNIA, Pa. - Kutztown struck first, but California (PA) scored the final six runs to eliminate the Golden Bears from the PSAC Playoffs.  With the loss, KU finishes third in the double-elimination tournament.

     Karli Hausman cracked a two-run homer in the first to give the Golden Bears a 2-0 lead.  KU mounted another attack in the second, but stranded a pair of runners in scoring position. 

     The Vulcans struck back in the bottom of the third, when Stephanie Elk clubbed a two-run shot to tie the game at 2-2.  CUP took the lead the next inning with two more runs and added another pair in the sixth to put the game away.

     Hausman finished 3-4 and her home run drove in both Kutztown runs.  Adriane Willmer went 1-3 with a run scored.  Erin Livingston collected two hits in three at-bats. 

     Gabrielle Rendon, Kimmie Miller, and Abby McGinn each had two hits for the Vulcans.  Elk added a 1-3 day with three RBI. 

     Cheryl Griffith took the loss for Kutztown in relief of starter Natalie Buch.  Griffith went three innings, allowing four runs on five hits.  Only two of the runs were earned and she struck out four.  Buch started the game and then relieved Griffith in the sixth.  She also went three innings, surrendering seven hits and two walks.  She struck out seven.

     Becky Mezyk picked up the win for California (PA).  She pitched 5.2 scoreless innings in relief of starter Maggie Fricko, who beat KU in game one.  Mezyk scattered five hits and two walks, striking out nine. 

     In game six, Shippensburg beat the Vulcans 3-0 to claim the PSAC crown.

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