Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The No. 2-seeded Shippensburg University softball team lost on the final day of the NCAA Atlantic Region Championships Bracket 2 on Sunday morning with an 8-2 Game 4 loss to No. 3 seed West Virginia State, ending the Raiders' 2013 season at home from Robb Field.

The PSAC Eastern Division-champion and No. 21-ranked Raiders went 0-2 on the weekend regional tournament and finish the year with a 31-13 mark – their most wins since 2006 (42) and their fewest losses since 2005 (five).

West Virginia State (42-14) advanced to the second game on Sunday where it lost to Bloomsburg (32-19), 6-2. The Huskies then dropped a 4-0 extra-inning decision to Kutztown (32-21) as the Golden Bears finished the weekend 3-0 to win the bracket and advance to next weekend's Atlantic Super Regionals vs. West Chester.

"We had a great year," SU head coach Bob Brookens said. "A tough way to end it, but we're a very young ball club. I think it is great experience for our team and I'm pretty sure we'll be back next year, very hungry."

Raider sophomore pitcher Makenzie Lynn and WVSU pitcher Sara Pelegreen began the game in dominant fashion, throwing heat during the first few innings. The pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts through the first two-and-a-half frames and just four the rest of the game.

Lynn finished with seven strikeouts and gave up nine hits and five earned runs in a complete-game effort. She gave up her first hit, a single off the bat of Dee Dee Loftis, with one out in the top of the fourth before allowing a tough-luck RBI blooper to left field two batters later. Sophomore shortstop Taylor Weisman backpedaled and made an outstretched effort for the catch in shallow left but couldn't secure the grab, allowing Loftis to score from second for a 1-0 lead.

The Yellow Jackets tacked on four more runs on four hits and an error in the sixth. A sacrifice fly to left from SU sophomore first baseman Maddie Justice scored sophomore second baseman Emmie Burke (leadoff walk) in the bottom half of the frame to cut the margin to 5-1.

After three more WVSU runs in the seventh, the Raiders started a mini two-out rally to attempt to prolong their season in the bottom of the inning. A single up the middle from senior right fielder Kiersten Darhower preceded an RBI single to left-center from sophomore center fielder Tyler Thompson.

Thompson then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball and junior pinch-hitter Rachel Shumway drew a four-pitch walk to put runners at the corners before a season-ending fielder's choice groundout.

"They truly never gave up, down to the last out,” Brookens said. “You're gonna have a few games like this every once in awhile, sometimes the ball bounces the wrong way for you. But as I said earlier, it was an outstanding season."

The loss wraps up the careers of Darhower and fellow senior Jenn Deardorff, who entered the game to play shortstop in the seventh inning. Over the past four seasons, the duo contributed to 94 wins, two PSAC Eastern Division championships and three consecutive appearances in the PSAC Tournament.

"I think one of the big reasons for this team being special is our two seniors," Brookens said. "They were two of the best leaders that I ever had.”