QUAKERTOWN, Pa. — The Shippensburg University softball team won its fourth Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Softball Championship in school history and its first since 2005 on a sunny Saturday morning at Veterans Park with a 7-4 victory over Bloomsburg. The Raiders scored in four of the six innings.
 
Shippensburg (32-18) got off to a hot start, taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. An intentional walk to graduate Hannah Marsteller got a runner on base, followed by a bomb to left field from the 2023 PSAC Tournament MVP, freshman Caitlyn Martell.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Raiders had back-to-back walks from junior Morgan Lindsay and junior Alyssa Nehlen to have two runners on base. A single by designated player and starting pitcher freshman Kaira Zamadics loaded the bases with no outs. Freshman Emilee Sullivan ripped a single to center field for an RBI single and a 3-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, junior Taylor Myers singled to second base and Marsteller was intentionally walked again to have two runners on base. Martell ripped another bomb to the same spot for a three-run home run and a 6-0 lead.
The Raiders had two runners on base after a hit-by-pitch to Lindsay and Zamadics but were unable to score any more runs in the inning.
 
In the next inning, the Raiders scored one run with an RBI-single to left field by Marsteller to bring Myers home who singled to up the middle.
 
Bloomsburg (25-33) did not give up and fought to score some runs in the top of the sixth inning and scored four unearned runs. After scoring four times, the Huskies still had the bases loaded with two outs and were still looking to score more. BU's top hitter, Bella Culp, launched a ball that was going over the fence, but center fielder Myers stole the home run and got the third out.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, the Raiders needed three more outs and senior Emma Flattery, who came out of the bullpen to get the last out in the sixth, got the first two outs of the seventh with strikeouts. BU's Emma Little then popped up to shortstop Martell for the third out and the victory for the Raiders.
 
Zamadics threw 5.2 innings and got her sixth win of the season and her first of the tournament. Flattery came in and threw 1.1 innings and got her third save of the season.  
 
With the win, the Raiders have booked themselves into the NCAA Atlantic Regional. They will await their seeding, which is set for 10 a.m. Monday via a selection show on ncaa.com.
 
Notes:
·  It is the first time since 2005 that the Raiders won the PSAC Championship. In 2005, SU defeated Bloomsburg, 7-0, at Robb Field. It is also the first time since 2005 that the Raiders went undefeated in the PSAC Tournament and only the third time that the Raiders went undefeated.
·  Martell's second home run is the most by a Raider in a PSAC Championship since Hall of Famer Sarah Costa '04 hit a solo home run in the 2003 PSAC Championship against Bloomsburg.

During the 2023 PSAC Tournament:
o   Martell went 10-for-17, with a double, four home runs, 11 RBIs, four walks and no strikeouts.
o   Marsteller went 6-for-14, with two doubles, a home run, five RBIs, and eight walks.
o   Lindsay went 6-for-13, with a double, four home runs, eight RBIs, seven walks and no strikeouts.
o   Myers went 10-for-19, with a double, seven runs, three RBIs and four walks.
o   Zamadics had four hits with a double, and five walks along with 16.1 innings pitched, eight strikeouts, a 2.14 ERA and was the game winning pitcher.
o   Nehlen had four hits including a double, a walk and two hit-by-pitch.
o   Sullivan had five hits, four RBIs and a walk.
o   Sophomore Ally Weaver had four hits, including a double, an RBI and two hit by pitch.
o   Freshman Rilee Ehrlacher had three hits, a walk, and had four important catches in the outfield.
o   Flattery threw 5.0 innings, with a 1.40 ERA, a win, a save, four strikeouts and only gave up one earned run.
o   Sophomore Alicia Ball threw 10.0 innings, won two, had five strikeouts while having a 2.10 ERA.
o   Junior Maelynn Leber had a hit and two RBIs along with 4.0 innings pitched.

2023 Shippensburg vs Bloomsburg series:
o   The Raiders finished with a 5-1 record against the Huskies.
o   Marsteller finished 8-for-11 including two doubles, two home runs, five RBIs, and 12 walks with no strikeouts.
o   Myers finished 11-for-24 including six runs.
o   Martell had five hits, a double, two home runs, six RBIs and four walks.
o   Zamadics, Weaver and Sullivan had three hits each, with Weaver with two RBIs and Sullivan with an RBI.
o   Lindsay had two doubles and two RBIs and seven walks.
o   Zamadics also finished with a 0.00 ERA in 7.2 innings pitched.
o   Ball finished with a 0.95 ERA in 14.2 innings pitched with seven strikeouts.
o   Flattery finished 2-0, two saves with 1.47 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched and nine strikeouts.