GANNON BOXÂ |Â Â
ESU BOXÂ
QUAKERTOWN—Taylor Parker (Dewart/Warrior Run) pitched 4.2 innings of relief and went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Bloomsburg University softball team to a 10-3 win over East Stroudsburg Thursday night in an elimination game at the 2015 PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) Championships at Veterans Park in Quakertown.. The Huskies dropped the opening game of the day, 2-0, to Gannon.
The win against ESU sends the Huskies, 25-15, to another elimination game on Friday at 1:30 p.m. against Seton Hill University.
GAME TWO: Bloomsburg 10, ESU 3
East Stroudsburg got on the board first taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third against Huskies starter Sarah Bortner (Glenville/South Western). Following ESU's second run, Bloomsburg head coach Susan Kocher went to Parker. The sophomore worked out of the jam getting two outs and keeping the game close.
Bloomsburg got one run back in the top of the fourth. Caitlin O'Connor (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) led off with a single and moved to second on a single by Parker. Abbey Remley (Berwick/Berwick Area) then came in to pinch run for O'Connor and moved to third on a fielder's choice. Then with two out Valerie Carcasses (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat) delivered a single to right field scoring Remley and making it 2-1.
The Huskies took the lead in the top of the fifth scoring four runs on five hits. Parker had a big hit in the inning getting a two-run single that put Bloomsburg on top 3-2. Emily Mayhew (Perkasie/Pennridge) followed with a run scoring double, then scored herself when Sarah Bertoni (Nanticoke/Greater Nanticoke Area) singled.
Meanwhile Parker was cruising along putting the Warriors down in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Bloomsburg put the game away with five more runs in the top of the seventh. Parker, Kayla McHale (Dillsburg/Northern) and Carcasses each had an RBI, while Anna McElroy (Jessup/Valley View) had a two-run single.
East Stroudsburg scored one in the bottom of the seventh to make the final 10-3.
Parker allowed just two hits, one run and fanned five to earn her 13th win of the season.
Along with Parker getting two hits, McHale, Erika Yanora (Tunkhannock/Tunkhannock) and Mayhew also had two hits each.
GAME ONE: Gannon 2, Bloomsburg 0
In game one it was a strong pitching performance by Gannon's Jess Rectenwald that was the main story. Rectenwald allowed just four hits and worked out of two jams to earn the win. She also scored the game's first run and had two hits.
Rectenwald opened the game with a bloop single to right field off of starter Taylor Parker (Dewart/Warrior Run). Jackie Martinez then reached on a bunt single to put runners at first and second. Alyssa Bates then hit a liner that was caught by Bloomsburg's Caitlin O'Connor (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) who doubled Martinez off first on the play for two outs. Katie Dunn then hit a hard single up the middle with Rectenwald beating Kayla McHale (Dillsburg/Northern)'s throw home giving the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead.
Meanwhile the Huskies managed just one hit through the first four innings, while Parker also limited Gannon to just one hit in the next three innings.
In the bottom of the fifth the Huskies had their first threat of the game. Sarah Bertoni (Nanticoke/Greater Nanticoke Area) and Anna McElroy (Jessup/Valley View) both walked, but Rectenwald got a strikeout to end the inning and keep it a 1-0 game.
Gannon added an insurance run in the sixth inning. With one out Dunn doubled to left center. Then one out later Meghan Cunha doubled scoring pinch-runner Sarah DiOrio making it 2-0.
The Huskies threatened again in the bottom of the sixth. McHale led off with an infield single and moved to second on a bunt by Erika Yanora (Tunkhannock/Tunkhannock). O'Connor then singled through the left side with McHale stopping at third. After a fielder's choice by Parker erased O'Connor at second base, Rectenwald got a pop out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh the Huskies had one more opportunity. With two outs Maggie Hall (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown) reached on a single to bring the tying run to the plate. However Rectenwald got an unassisted put out to close out the game and send Gannon to the winning bracket.