Box Score

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Freshman shortstop Hope Cornell slugged three doubles and junior Lori Knopf threw a one-hit shutout as the Shippensburg University softball team extended its stay in the NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Regional Softball Tournament with a 4-0 victory while battling inclement weather on Thursday at North Campus Field.

Shippensburg (28-26) will now play tomorrow at 9 a.m. against California (Pa.) in another elimination game, as the Vulcans dropped a 2-0 decision to top-seeded Lock Haven in Game 7 of the tournament.

Cornell's three doubles were the first extra-base hits of the tournament for Shippensburg, as the performance capped off another momentous day for the freshman shortstop. On Thursday morning, it was announced that Cornell had been selected to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Region First Team, her third post-season award that she has received over the last two days.

Of equal value to the Lady Raiders on Thursday was Knopf, who battled adverse conditions to limit Slippery Rock (27-16) to just one hit while striking out seven in her fifth shutout and 14th complete game of the season.

The Rock entered the game with a team batting average of .300 and 41 home runs on the season but was held to just one single by Knopf, who earned her 10th victory of the season.

The scoring began in the top of fifth inning with a one-out walk from senior Liz Good. Freshman Jill Mullan followed with a single that produced an ill-advised attempt to throw Good out at second. The pitcher's throw wound up in left field and placed both runners into scoring position with one out.

With junior Rachelle Wedell at the plate, the count advanced to 1-1 before crew chief Luau Bowers called for time at pitcher Lisa Getgen's request for the pitcher's circle to be treated, and a 10-minute delay held up proceedings while the grounds crew placed drying agent on the playing surface amidst a constant rain shower.

Following the delay, Wedell hit a seeing-eye single through the right side that scored Good and moved Mullan over to third base. Freshman Maggie Sander pinch-ran for Wedell, and Cornell came to the plate and hit her second double of the afternoon to score Mullan. Sander was thrown out at third base on the play, but Shippensburg had already earned a 2-0 lead that it would not relinquish.

The Lady Raiders added two more insurance runs in the sixth inning. Sophomore Lisamarie Ramagli walked and was replaced on the base paths by freshman Dana Ward to lead off the frame. After a flyout, senior Amanda Bardo drew her team-leading 24th walk of the season to put two runners on base.

With junior Chelsea Carson stepping out of the flex position to bat, a wild pitch proved disastrous for Slippery Rock. The wild pitch rolled off the back screen, and catcher Kim Weindel got the ball and attempted to throw out Bardo at second base, but the ball went careening into center field, allowing Ward to score all the way from second.

Carson grounded out to move Bardo to third base, and a solid single up the middle from Mullan gave Shippensburg its fourth run of the game. Cornell hit her third double of the game in the top of the seventh off the left-field fence to cap off her 3-for-4 afternoon at the plate.

Friday's contest will be the first meeting between the Lady Raiders and the Vulcans since the 2006 season, when Shippensburg earned a 1-0 victory over California (Pa.) in the PSAC Tournament. The game will be broadcast live by Shippensburg University student radio station WSYC 88.7 FM as well as on the Internet through www.shipraiders.com.

Live stats of the game will be available here.