Ship Softball Ends Season in NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Championship Game

May 14, 2005

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The Shippensburg University softball team was defeated by Bloomsburg University, 3-1, in the NCAA Division II Softball Mid-Atlantic Region Championship title game on Saturday afternoon at Robb Sports Complex. Bloomsburg advances to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship in Salem, Virginia next week as the Mid-Atlantic Region champions.

Earlier in the day, Shippensburg (42-5) defeated Indiana University (Pa.), 2-1, to reach the championship game.

The Lady Raiders were held to one run on two hits against Bloomsburg, singles by seniors Liz Corr (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) and Jaime Dacey (Langhorne, Pa./Archbishop Wood).

Amanda Smith, who was named Most Valuable Player of the regional, earned the victory for the Huskies (44-8) and improved her record to 17-3 on the year. She had nine strikeouts.

Bloomsburg took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning when Tiffany Corliss hit a sacrifice fly to left center field with the bases loaded, scoring Kelly Zarski for the first run of the game. Dee Wolfe later scored on an error.

The Huskies increased their lead with a run in the sixth inning before Shippensburg scored its lone run in the bottom of the inning.

Senior Anna Corr (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) reached base on an error and went to third on a bunt single by Dacey. Corr scored with a sacrifice fly by senior Jessica Miller (Easton, Pa./Easton).

Freshman Danielle Shields (Laurel, Del./Sussex Tech) pitched five innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits to suffer the loss. Freshman Jill Kirby (Glen Mills, Pa./Garnet Valley) entered the game in the sixth and surrendered just one hit while retiring six of the seven batters she faced.

In game one, Shields pitched a complete game, allowing two hits. She finishes her first collegiate season with a 14-3 record on the season.

Against Indiana (Pa.), the Lady Raiders came from behind for the victory. Down 1-0 in the top of the sixth, senior Beth Rudai (Glen Mills, Pa./University High, Ill.) led off the inning with a double through the right side. She scored when Dacey singled to left center.

Senior Sarah Costa (Laurel, Md./Atholton) then doubled to left center to drive in Dacey for what proved to be the game-winning run. Dacey and Costa were both named to the Mid-Atlantic Region Championship All-Tournament Team.

With two hits today, Dacey broke the Shippensburg single-season record for hits. She totaled 78 hits, surpassing the record of 76, set by Heather Bankert in 1999.

Ten seniors played in their final games for Shippensburg today, Liz and Anna Corr, Costa, Dacey, Miller, Rudai, Amanda Collins (Pasadena, Md./Archbishop Spalding), Fawn Gaidos (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest), Mary McKee (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte) and Steph Reavey (Swarthmore, Pa./Ridley).

The Class of 2005 finished their careers with three Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championships, two NCAA regional tournament championships and an overall record of 162-44 in four years.

- Lady Raider Softball -