Kutztown University Softball

KUTZTOWN 5, VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY 2

SHIPPENSBURG - Cheryl Griffith pitched a two-hitter to lead Kutztown to a 5-2 victory over Virginia State in the second game of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional at Shippensburg University.

Griffith struck out 11 batters over seven innings for her 10th win of the year.

Kutztown was led at the plate by Stacy Bricker, who was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and Megan Bainbridge, who was 2-for-3 with a run.

KU took the lead in the second inning, when catcher Sara Cook was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. In the third, KU pushed another run across when Megan Achey drew a bases-loaded walk, and went up 3-0 in the fifth on an RBI single by Jess Balchikonas.

The Lady Vikings cut the lead to 3-2 in the sixth. The first run scored on a Griffith wild pitch, while the second run crossed the plate as KU caught a runner attempting to steal second.

KU retook its three-run lead in the bottom of the sixth on an error, allowing Adriane Willmer and Bainbridge to score.

Kutztown will now face second seeded California (PA) in game four of the tournament, scheduled for Thursday afternoon. (note-the tournament was delayed more than two hours due to a 15 inning game 1 between Lock Haven and Bloomsburg).

Game 4 - KU vs. California - orig. schedule 4:00 PM Thursday, was postponed to Friday at 8:00 AM due to length of Thursday's games.

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Timely hitting lifted the Golden Bears to a 4-1 win over California (Pa.) at the NCAA East Regional. Pitcher Stacy Denlinger also had a big game, going the distance and picking up two RBI at the plate.

Kutztown took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Stacy Bricker led off the inning with a double. An error by the second baseman one batter later allowed Kutztown to take the lead.

The Vulcans struck back in the bottom of the third, when KU hurler Stacey Denlinger walked Stephanie Elk with the bases loaded.

Karli Hausman led off the next inning for Kutztown with a single. The Golden Bears moved her over to third with two outs. Spalik followed with what proved to be the game-winning hit.

Denlinger, who finished 1-for-2 at the plate, helped her own cause with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. She took a Becky Mezyk pitch off the right field wall for a two-run triple. Bricker and Erin Livingston scored on the play.

Denlinger went all seven innings, allowing just four hits and two walks. She also hit three Vulcan batters.

Bricker went 1-1, doubling and scoring twice. Spalik went 1-3 with an RBI and Adriane Willmer, Hausman, and Megan Achey added hits for the Golden Bears.

Maggie Fricko took the loss for second-seeded Cal, allowing the first two Kutztown runs. Gabrielle Rendon picked up two hits for the Vulcans and scored their only run.

With the win, third-seeded Kutztown will face the top seed, Shippensburg at 2:00 p.m.

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Golden Bears managed just two hits, as Shippensburg’s Kelley Tiesi tossed a two-hit shutout.

The Raiders picked up the only runs scored in the game in the third inning. With two outs, KU starter Natalie Buch walked a pair of runners and then gave up back-to-back hits. Kutztown ended the rally when first baseman Jess Balchikonas took a relay throw from Dani Wunderlich and gunned down a runner at the plate.

The Golden Bears were no-hit until Stacy Bricker led off the fifth inning with a single off the glove of a leaping Raider shortstop.

Kutztown ended two other potential Shippensburg rallies with double plays. With one out in the fifth, Wunderlich fielded a fly ball and fired the ball home to complete the double play. The following inning with a runner on first, Stacy Bricker snagged a liner and Jess Balchikonas made a nice scoop to turn the double play.

Kutztown had its best chance in the sixth to tie the game. Buch walked and was pinch-run for. Balchikonas’ sacrifice attempt looped over the head of the charging third basemen for KU’s second hit of the afternoon. After the pair was bunted into scoring position, the drive halted as Wunderlich struck out and Karli Hausman popped up.

Buch pitched 6.2 for the Golden Bears, surrendering just six hits and taking the loss. Cheryl Griffith relieved her with two outs and two on in the seventh to record the final out.

Tiesi struck out 11, allowing just two hits and a walk. At the plate, Mary McKee went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Liz Corr was 2-for-4, Beth Rudel and Jamie Dacey.

With the loss, Kutztown will face the winner of the Bloomsburg/Lock Haven game on Saturday at 11:00 AM. The Bloomsburg/Lock Haven contest was suspended due to rain and will be completed at 9:00 AM on Saturday.

KUTZTOWN 1, BLOOMSBURG 0 (8 Innings)

Bloomsburg (28-16-1) 0
Kutztown (31-18) 1 (8 innings)

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Karli Hausman legged out a triple and scored on a Stacy Bricker single, as the Golden Bears outlasted Bloomsburg at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. With the win, KU advances to face Shippensburg in the championship round.

Cheryl Griffith shut out the Huskies, allowing just six hits. She struck out two and walked just one.

        The Golden Bears had chances early to get on the board but could not capitalize. KU left the bases loaded in the second and stranded two runners on the following inning.

     For Bloomsburg, Amber Cowher held the Golden Bears to just two hits before Hausman's triple. Hausman, 1-for-4, looped the ball down the right field line and the ball scooted away from the second baseman and the right fielder, allowing her to get all the way around to third. Bricker followed her with a clutch single to left.

     Erin Livinston and Jessica Balchikonas also had hits for the Golden Bears.

      At the plate for the Huskies, Amanda Breon went 3-for-3, while Samantha Basalki went 2-for-4.

   Kutztown now gets a shot at the Regional crown, playing the host school Shippensburg. The Raiders are undefeated in the double-elimination tournament, versus one loss for KU. The game is set to start at 1:30 PM. If KU wins, another game will follow either Saturday afternoon or Sunday.

Score by Innings

                              R H E
Bloomsburg (28-16-1)   000 000 00 - 0 6 1
Kutztown (31-18)           000 000 01 - 1 4 0 (8 innings)

BU- Amanda Cowher and Alyson Taylor. KU- Cheryl Griffith and Dani Spalik. W- Griffith (11-6). L- Cowher (10-10).

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Three errors in the bottom of the six led to a pair of unearned runs that proved to be the difference as the Golden Bears fell to Shippensburg in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional final.

KU got on the board first, scoring their only run in the fourth inning. Dani Wunderlich started the rally with a single. Two batters later, Stacy Bricker singled and the Shippensburg centerfielder bobbled the ball, allowing Wunderlich to score.

The lead stood until the bottom of the sixth, Liz Corr led off the inning for the Raiders with a ground ball to the shortstop. The KU first baseman, Jess Balchikonas, could not come up with the throw. Beth Rudai followed with a ground ball that Adriane Willmer, the Golden Bear second baseman, booted to put runners on first and second. With one out, Sarah Costa hit a ground ball to third baseman Megan Achey. Achey was indecisive where to go with the ball and Shippensburg ended up with the bases loaded. Mary McKee singled and drove home the tying run, but Megan Bainbridge threw out the potential winning run at the plate.

The next batter, Brenna Eck, stroked another single that plated the winning run. Bricker was called for KU’s third error of the inning, for obstruction.

Stacey Denlinger was the hard luck loser, allowing just five hits in the game and no earned runs. She walked one and struck out three. Bricker was 2-for-3 for the Golden Bears.

For Shippensburg, Tiesi went seven innings, allowing just an earned run on three hits and striking out nine. Eck was 2-for-3 and drove in the winning run.

After the tournament, Bricker, Denlinger and pitcher Cheryl Griffith were named to the all-tournament team. Tiesi was named the MVP for the champions, Shippensburg.

Score by Innings

                              R H E
Kutztown (31-19)           000 100 0 -   1 3 3
Shippensburg (45-4)     000 002 x -   2 5 1

SU- Kelly Tiesi and Sarah Costa. KU- Stacey Denlinger and Dani Spalik. W- Tiesi (28-1). L- Denlinger (12-8).

2004 NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic All-Tournament Team

C - Sarah Costa, Shippensburg
1B - Anna Corr, Shippensburg
2B - Heather Johnson, Lock Haven
3B - LaToya Hawkes, Virginia State University
SS - Stacy Bricker, Kutztown
OF - Mary McKee, Shippensburg
OF - Liz Corr, Shippensburg
OF - Samantha Basalik, Bloomsburg
DP - Brenna Eck, Shippensburg