BOX SCORE

ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI—Despite a five run rally in the top of the seventh inning the Bloomsburg University softball team dropped its opening game of the 2010 NCAA Division II national championships by a score of 7-5 to Valdosta State in St. Joseph, Missouri on Thursday.

Trailing 7-0 with one out in the top of the seventh, freshman Cait Paine (Lebanon, Lebanon) singled in her first-ever collegiate at-bat to start the rally. Mandy Koch (Dauphin, Central Dauphin) then reached on an error with Paine racing to third. Sinea Gallagher (Clarks Summit, Abington Heights) then pinch-ran for Koch. Casey Massimini (Downingtown, Downingtown West) then reached on an infield single to load the bases. Shen Debaro (Milton, Milton) then pinch hit for Lori Neyhard (Bloomsburg, Central Columbia) and delivered a single to right scoring Paine making it 7-1. After a strikeout, Danielle Lazorka (Williamsport, Jersey Shore) then singled down the line in right with Gallagher and Massimini scoring to make it 7-3. Lacy Mauro (Jersey Shore, Jersey Shore) then smashed a double off the fence in right center scoring two more runs making it 7-5 and bringing Sam Pientack (Archbald, Valley View) to the plate.

The sophomore first baseman brought everyone to their feet when she hit a towering shot down the left field line. For a second, the ball looked fair, then curved foul. Pientack then smashed one more deep foul ball before lining out to center to end the game.

Bloomsburg coach Jan Hutchinson spoke candidly about the team's play.
“Clearly, we came out as strong and tight as could be and we did not get loose until the last inning,” said Hutchinson. “This was not the team we just saw through the playoffs. They hurt themselves for doing it but we have to come out next time and play loose on Saturday.In the last inning maybe we were a little free-er [swinging the bats] because they were down so many runs what did we have to lose. We didn't have to be in that position and need to learn from this.”

Valdosta opened the scoring in the first inning getting a two-out single from Stephanie Carlson to make it 1-0. In the third the Blazers got another two-out single from Carlson making it 2-0. Bloomsburg got its first hit in the third inning when Mandy Koch (Dauphin/Central Dauphin) singled, moved to second on a sacrifice and took third on a passed ball. However, Valdosta pitcher Holly Satterfield got the next two outs to end the threat.

In the fourth, Valdosta made it 4-0 getting a two-run homer Melissa Jackson and then made it 6-0 on a two-run homer from Sarah Vaughn in the fifth inning. In the bottom of the sixth Marti Littlefield made it 7-0 when she hit a solo homer setting the stage for the Huskies comeback.

Valdosta head coach Thomas Macera knew the Huskies would not give up.
“Bloomsburg is a great team and they capitalized on our one mistake and scored five quick runs on us,” said Macera. “We needed to regroup and try and finish it back out. But I take my hat off to Bloomsburg – they are a good team and they play seven innings – I told my team they would never quit.”

Mauro finished 2-4 with two RBI, while Koch was 2-3 o the afternoon. Nikki Shiko (Shamokin, Southern Columbia) saw her 24-game hitting streak come to an end with an 0-4 day.

Bloomsburg, now 49-7, drops into the loser's bracket and will face Molloy College, 4-0 losers to top-ranked North Georgia, on Saturday at noon at Heritage Park in St. Joseph, Missouri. The loser of the game would be eliminated from the tournament.