QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team got a first-inning grand slam off the bat of freshman Grace Palmieri on Thursday morning to key an 11-2 victory in five innings over Edinboro at the 2019 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships taking place at Veterans Park.
 
Shippensburg (25-21) remained alive to face the loser of the Kutztown/West Chester game taking place at 11:30 a.m. Edinboro (22-19) was eliminated with the loss.
 
The Raiders scored seven runs in the first two innings and in four of their five at-bats in the game. In the second, freshman Morgan DeFeo doubled home junior Kayla Bonawitz to begin a three-run frame. Freshman Hannah Marsteller hit an RBI-double down the left-field line and Palmieri then singled her home to give SU a 7-0 lead.
 
Edinboro loaded the bases in the bottom of the second and chased SU's starter, senior Taryn Wilson, after a two-run single. With two outs, the Fighting Scots drew a pair of walks surrounding a fielding error to preface the hit. Freshman Tressa Kagarise entered in relief; hit a batter, and then recorded a strikeout to strand the bases loaded.
 
In the fourth, Marsteller delivered another RBI-double on a ball that found the grass between hard-charging outfielders in left-center field to make the score 8-2. SU benefitted from a couple of errors in the fifth to prolong their time at the plate, and ultimately achieved the mercy-rule advantage on a fielder's choice RBI from DeFeo and a two-run double from sophomore Courtney Coy.
 
Palmieri finished 2-for-2 with the grand slam, five RBIs and a hit-by-pitch. Marsteller was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Coy was 2-for-3 with a double, walk, and two RBIs. DeFeo had two RBIs and three runs scored. Eight of SU's nine batters finished with at least one hit.
 
Kagarise got the win in relief, throwing 3.1 shutout innings of relief and striking out three. She allowed one hit and one walk. Wilson yielded two unearned runs in 1.2 innings with three strikeouts.