Shippensburg Sweeps Kutztown 8-4, 3-1 To Begin Conference Play

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

March 25, 2005

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa.---The Shippensburg University women’s softball team began its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division schedule on Friday with a pair of victories over Kutztown University, defeating the Golden Bears 8-4 in game one, and 3-1 in game two.

In game one, the Lady Raiders (17-1, 2-0 PSAC East) broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning, exploding for five runs. Senior centerfielder Jaime Dacey (Langhorne, Pa./Archbishop Wood) walked to start the inning, and was sacrificed over by senior catcher Sarah Costa (Laurel, Md./Atholton). Senior Fawn Gaidos (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) came in to pinch hit, and sent Dacey across the plate with a single to left center field to give Shippensburg a 4-3 lead.

Following back-to-back walks of junior Kristin Marll (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and senior Steph Reavey (Swarthmore, Pa./Ridley) to load the bases, Kutztown (12-10, 0-2 PSAC East) replaced starting pitcher Lindsay Bennett with Cheryl Griffith, who was greeted by senior Liz Corr (Doyleston, Pa./Central Bucks West) with a double through the left side, driving in two runs. Senior Beth Rudai (Glen Mills, Pa./University High, Ill.) continued the rally with a single up the middle, scoring Liz Corr and Reavey, to give the Lady Raiders an 8-3 lead going into the top of the seventh.

Kutztown would attempt a comeback in the seventh. With two outs, Adriane Willmer reached base when she was hit by a pitch, and a triple from Jackie Messina sent her across the plate, before junior pitcher Kelley Tiesi (Baltimore, Md./Catholic School of Baltimore) got Stacy Bricker to ground out to end the game.

After Kutztown took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Shippensburg scored three runs in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Liz Corr and Rudai each singled to reach base, and senior Ann Corr (Doylestown, Pa./Central Buck West) doubled center field to clear the bases. She continued to third on a throwing error by the shortstop, and scored when the errant throw went out of bounds.

Kutztown tied the game in the fifth off extra base hits from Messina and Bricker.
Tiesi pitched a complete game, giving up four runs on six hits. She recorded seven strikeouts, and goes to 8-1 on the year. Bennett got the loss for Kutztown, and she goes to 0-2.

Shippensburg was led at the plate by Liz Corr, who went 4-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Rudai went 2-for-4 with two RBI and scored a run. Ann Corr had two RBI, going 1-for-4 in the game.

With Kutztown up 1-0 in game two following a home run from Sara Cook, senior Jess Miller (Easton, Pa./Easton) hit a three-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Shippensburg the lead. Anna Corr led off the inning with a single through the left side, and Dacey ran out a bunt to put two on base. Miller came into the game as a pinch hitter, and crushed the ball over the left field fence for a 3-1 lead.

Freshman pitcher Danielle Shields (Laurel, Del./Sussex Tech) retired the side in the top of the seventh, and goes to 7-0 with the victory. She struck out seven in the game, giving up one run on six hits. Stacey Denlinger went six innings for Kutztown. She goes to 4-3.
In addition to Miller with three RBI, Dacey went 2-for-3 and scored a run for Shippensburg.
Shippensburg next plays tomorrow, taking on West Chester University in West Chester at 1:00 p.m. in a PSAC East game.

- Lady Raider Softball -