BOX SCORE

BLOOMSBURG—Mandi Baer (Douglassville/Daniel Boone)'s double scored Lacy Mauro (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) with the game's only run to lead the Bloomsburg University (32-7) softball team to a victory over West Virginia Wesleyan (WVW) on Saturday in a winner's bracket game at the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region championships on Saturday.

The two teams were scoreless through the first seven innings behind the strong pitching of Bloomsburg's Shavaun Fisher (Coplay/Allentown Central Catholic) and the Bobcats Hillary Perez-Ashley. In the top of the eighth WVW changed pitchers bringing Kaitlyn Carey to face the top of the Huskies lineup.

Lacy Mauro (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) started the inning by reaching on an error by the second baseman. Danielle Lazorka (Williamsport/Jersey Shore) then moved Mauro to second with a bunt. Baer then delivered a line drive to the gap in right center easily scoring Mauro with the first run of the game. Sam Pientack (Archbald/Valley View) then lined a single to center. Baer though was thrown out a home on a good throw by WVW centerfielder Kashilia Young.

In the bottom of the eighth Fisher got a fly ball and two grounds out to send Bloomsburg to Sunday's championship game. The Huskies will need to win just once to move on to next weekend's Super Regional.

Bloomsburg looked like it would take an early lead in the game getting a leadoff double to open the game by Mauro. Perez-Ashley though got two infield pop ups and a fly ball to escape the jam. The Huskies also left two runners on in the second and one in the top of the third.

Meanwhile Fisher retired the first six batters she faced before Paige Cummings singled to lead off the inning. Shelby Carlson then reached on a fielder's choice and stole second, but was left stranded.

The Huskies got a leadoff double from Emily Young (Nescopeck/Central Columbia) in the fifth, but pinch-runner Hannah Moir (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape ) was left at third after Perer-Ashley got a popup to end the inning. Bloomsburg also had a one-out double from Lori Neyhard (Bloomsburg/Central Columbia) in the seventh, but the Bobcats escaped that jam as well before the Huskies broke through in the eighth.

Fisher won her 18th game of the year striking out nine and walking one and allowing just two hits, while Carey fell to 20-6 with the loss.

West Virginia Wesleyan (47-7) will face the winner of the Lock Haven/Shippensburg game at 4 p.m. on Saturday in an elimination game.