Shields Pitches 10-Inning Shutout in 1-0 Win Over Lock Haven
April 29, 2005
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Senior Kristin Marll (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding) hit a single to left field in the bottom of the 10th inning, scoring senior Sarah Costa (Laurel, Md./Atholton) to give the Shippensburg University softball team a 1-0 win over Lock Haven University on day two of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Softball Championship.
The win moves Shippensburg (39-3) into the championship game, which is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Raiders will play against the winner of Lock Haven University and Bloomsburg University who will play each other at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Shippensburg is looking for its third-straight conference championship.
Costa led off the 10th inning with a walk and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by senior Jessica Miller (Easton, Pa./Easton) before Marll's game-winning hit.
Freshman Danielle Shields (Laurel, Del./Sussex Tech) earned the shutout for the Lady Raiders, going all 10 innings while striking out 10. She walked only one and scattered seven hits. It is the fourth shutout of the season for Shields as she raised her record to 12-1. Lock Haven only had one runner reach third base in the game, that coming in the final inning with two outs.
Shippensburg had opportunities to score in the second and ninth innings, but had two runners thrown out at home both times. With senior Beth Rudai (Glen Mills, Pa./University High Ill.) on second in the bottom of the ninth, senior Jaime Dacey (Langhorne, Pa./Archbishop Wood) singled through the right side, but Rudai was thrown out at by left fielder Kristen Frantz on a close call at home plate.
Jeanette Middlestead also went the distance for Lock Haven (33-7), allowing one run and five hits, striking out three.
Costa led the Lady Raiders at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two walks in the win.
For more information on Saturday's games, including updates on weather delays, please call the Shippensburg University Sports Hotline at 717-477-7678.
- Lady Raider Softball -
