Box Score

KUTZTOWN, Pa. - The Shippensburg University softball team was eliminated from the 2008 Division II Mid-Atlantic Region Softball Tournament on Saturday morning with a 2-1 loss to California University (Pa.) at North Campus Field. The Lady Raiders did not allow an earned run in any of their three tournament games but left Kutztown with a 1-2 record.

Shippensburg (28-27) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning but the Vulcans countered with two in the bottom of the frame that proved to be the difference. In the top half of the frame, senior Liz Good singled and freshman Jill Mullan doubled to put two runners in scoring position with none out and chase Vulcan starting pitcher Maria Greco.

California (28-17) countered by inserting its No. 1 starter, Sonia Petrosoniak, who threw two balls to junior Rachelle Wedell. On the third pitch of the at-bat, Petrosoniak uncorked a wild pitch that rolled past catcher Renee Gmiter and gave the Lady Raiders a 1-0 lead as Good scored from third base.

Following the wild pitch, however, Petrosoniak neutralized the threat and dominated Shippensburg for the remainder of the contest. After a fielder's choice, a pop-up and a flyout ended the top of the third inning with Mullan stranded on third, Petrosoniak allowed just one hit and one walk in her final four innings while striking out three batters.

In the bottom of the third, senior Jill Kirby ran into some trouble by allowing a single and two walks. With the bases loaded and none out, Kirby induced a comebacker from Julie MacKenzie, but Kirby's throw hit the dirt and rolled past Wedell, allowing two runners to score for the Vulcans.

Senior Dani Shields took over in the circle with runners on second and third with no outs, but she escaped the jam without allowing a run. Heather Bihler hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Cornell to throw home for the first out, and an unusual double play ended the inning.

Nicole Bellevance flew out to left field and appeared to have recorded a sacrifice fly, but an appeal ruled Mackenzie had left third base early and she was called out on the play.

Shields finished her final collegiate game by scattering two hits and one walk in four shutout innings. For her career, Shields ranks third in career victories (56), games (104) and innings (575.2) while also finishing second in school history in strikeouts (627). The senior made 92 career starts and logged 55 complete games.

Kirby relinquished the two unearned runs and struck out two batters in two innings in her final appearance as a Lady Raider. Good finished 1-for-3, while seniors Sarah Stengl and Amanda Bardo also competed in their final collegiate games Saturday, starting in right field and at second base respectively.

The five seniors were contributors to a four-year stretch in which Shippensburg totaled 132 wins and advanced to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament in each season.