ShipU softball team captures opening regional tournament game

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Shippensburg University softball player Hannah Marsteller celebrates after driving in two runs against Bloomsburg in an NCAA Division II Atlantic Region tournament game Thursday. Marsteller, the PSAC Eastern Division Athlete of the Year, went 4-for-4 in Shippensburg's 10-3 win. (Photo by JENNA SLUYMER/SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY

SHIPPENSBURG — The Shippensburg University softball team opened the scoring and never trailed against Bloomsburg Thursday in an NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament win over the Huskies, 10-3, at Robb Field.

Shippensburg (32-18) had junior Hannah Marsteller (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend), the back-to-back PSAC East Athlete of the Year, and sophomore Taylor Myers (Fayetteville/Chambersburg Area), finish the day perfect at bat, combining to go 7-for-7 and reaching base 10 times. It helped the Raiders exact some revenge against Bloomsburg (28-19), who eliminated the Raiders from the conference tournament last week.

Marsteller went 4-for-4, including a double, four RBIs and a walk, while Myers went 3-for-3, including a double, two walks and a career high of five runs.

Senior Morgan DeFeo (West Grove/Avon Grove) drew two bases-loaded walks. PSAC East Freshman of the Year Katelyn Minney (Lititz/Warwick) had two RBIs. Freshman Emma Mackulin (West Miffli./West Mifflin Area) and sophomore Maelynn Leber (Wrightsville/Eastern York) had one hit each; Leber reached base three times.

Shippensburg opened the scoring in the first with an RBI double from Marsteller that brought Myers home. Myers opened the game with a walk. Bloomsburg answered back with a run in the bottom of the second inning from a Raider error to tie the game.

The Raiders kept their hitting momentum going and took back the lead in the top of the third, 3-1. Back-to-back singles by Myers and DeFeo and a walk by Marsteller loaded the bases. Minney singled up the middle to bring home Myers. Sophomore Morgan Lindsay (Hereford/Upper Perkiomen (Colgate)) hit a sacrifice fly to bring DeFeo home.

In the top of the fourth inning, SU scored three more runs. A walk and back-to-back singles loaded the bases with only one out. DeFeo drew a walk to send home freshman Morgan Brumbaugh (McVeytown/Mount Union Area). Marsteller singled to right center to bring home Mackulin, and Myers scored on a wild pitch.

The Huskies came back in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run double to left center by Danielle Barnes to trail by three, 6-3. The Raiders scored one run in the next inning with a sacrifice fly to left field by Minney to bring Myers home.

Shippensburg topped off the afternoon with three more runs, as DeFeo drew another bases-loaded walk and Marsteller crushed the ball to left field to bring Leber and Myers home.

All-PSAC East Second Team freshman Alicia Ball (Woodstock, Va./Central) started in the circle for the Raiders and threw a complete game. She allowed only four hits and two earned runs.

The Raiders were set to play at noon Friday against No. 2 seed Seton Hill. The winner will advance to Saturday’s championship, while the loser goes to the elimination bracket and will play the winner of the Bloomsburg vs. Claflin game at 2:30 p.m.

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