BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team went toe-to-toe with No. 10 Bloomsburg on Friday in the first game of the 2011 NCAA Atlantic Regional tournament but ultimately came up a run short, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Huskies from Jan Hutchinson Field.

Freshman Emily Estep returned to the circle and was solid in a complete-game effort. She scattered five hits – all singles – while walking three and striking out two.

Shippensburg (28-14) had its best chance of the game in the top of the sixth inning. One-out singles by senior Moira Johnsen and senior Hope Cornell and a walk to senior Courtney Steele loaded the bases.

Junior Meg Lehman singled in the next at-bat to plate sophomore pinch runner Kiersten Darhower, but Cornell was cut down at third base on the play. Estep struck out in the next at-bat to end the inning.

There were no extra-base hits in the contest but the teams combined to strand 15 runners. Bloomsburg scored an unearned run in the fourth inning on an RBI-single and took the lead in the bottom of the sixth on another RBI-single. Husky starter Shevaun Fisher earned the victory and registered eight strikeouts.

Shippensburg will face either Lock Haven or West Virginia Wesleyan at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. If victorious, SU would play at 4 p.m. Saturday.