GAME ONE  |  GAME TWO

PHOTO GALLERY

QUAKERTOWN, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University softball team entered Saturday afternoon needing to beat a California Vulcan team - that had lost only two games all season - twice to claim the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship.

The Huskies did just that, earning an eight-inning, 5-4, victory in game one and then a 5-1 win in game two at Veterans Park to win the program's first PSAC title since 2010. The Huskies improved to 44-7 overall and, not only won the conference title, but clinched the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

California fell to 35-4 on the season.

Junior Taylor Parker (Dewart, Pa./Warrior Run) was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player by hitting .333 (6-of-18) with three home runs and five runs-batted-in. She also allowed four earned runs in 14 innings of work on the mound, which included a complete-game shutout victory in the opening game of the tournament against Millersville.

Game one was a thrilling come-from-behind victory for the Huskies. Junior Anna McElroy (Jessup, Pa./Valley View) forced extra innings with a one-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh and freshman Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield) won it with a bloop single in the bottom of the eighth as Bloomsburg forced a second, and decisive, contest with a 5-4 victory in the opener.

The Huskies trailed 4-1 entering the bottom of the sixth before beginning to chip away at the lead. Winkelman plated a run with an RBI single in the inning to cut the lead to 4-2 and then McElroy sent the game to extras with her blast in the bottom of the seventh - her first round-tripper of the season.

California started the top of the eighth with back-to-back singles against junior starter Taylor Parker (Dewart, Pa./Warrior Run), with the second hit ending her afternoon on the mound. Junior Sarah Bortner (Glenville, Pa./South Western) came on in relief and, moments later, both runners advanced on a passed ball. Bortner got an infield popout for the first out and freshman third baseman Marissa Shelhamer (Nescopeck, Pa./Central Columbia) cut down a runner at the plate for the second out. Bortner then recorded her only strikeout to end the threat.

In the Huskies' half of the eighth, Shelhamer walked and senior Valerie Carcasses (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat) bunted for a single, over a drawn-in infield, to start the inning. A wild pitch advanced both runners and Winkelman proved to be the hero with her bloop single to right, scoring Shelhamer for the game-winning run.

The Huskies got on the board with an unearned run in the bottom of the second against California starter, Taylor Robblee. McElroy led off the inning with a single to left field but was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of freshman Alexa Erney (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley). Senior Erica Keen (Gordonville, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) followed with a bloop single to right field to put runners at first and second with one out. Shelhamer walked to load the bases before Robblee got a force out at the plate. The California hurler appeared to get out of the inning, but a bobble by the Vulcan shortstop on a grounder from Winkelman allowed Keen to cross the plate.

California answered with three runs on five hits against Parker in the top of the third. Megan Jahoda singled to right field with one out- the first hit Parker had allowed to that point. Back-to-back infield singles loaded the bases and then a game-changing call went against the Huskies. A chopper by Natalya Smarra got past first baseman Mallory Tomaschik (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia) but Carcasses, the second baseman, appeared to have a play on th ball. The Vulcans' runner from first, in the Huskies' opinion, appeared to interfere with Carcasses' path to the ball. The chopper wound up in right field and scored a pair of runs. Bloomsburg head coach Susan Kocher argued the call and eventually filed a protest. But, after several minutes of deliberation,  the call stood . The Vulcans added another run later in the inning to take a 3-1 advantage.

Bloomsburg threatened in the bottom half of the third after getting back-to-back singles from Parker and Tomaschik to lead off the frame. But, Robblee retired the next three Huskies to stifle the threat. California took advantage in the top of the fourth, getting a lead-off  home run from Lindsay Reicoff  to extend the lead to 4-1.

Keen started the rally in the bottom of the sixth with a one-out single up the middle and advanced to third when Shelhamer reached on a throwing error. Carcasses grounded out to short which moved pinch-runner, sophomore Abbey Remley (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area), up to second with two outs, as Keen held third. Winkelman came through with a run-scoring single that dropped in front of the Vulcan center fielder to cut the lead to 4-2. Robblee, however, retired sophomore Emily Mayhew (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) on a sharp grounder to second to end the inning.

Tomaschik started the seventh-inning rally with a one-out single to right field and then scored on McElroy's third career home run.

Winkelman went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in while Tomaschik, McElroy, and Keen had two hits apiece. Parker went seven innings and allowed four runs on eight hits. She walked five and struck out five. Bortner picked up the win in relief.

Game two started strong for the Vulcans when Emily Price launched a solo home run with one out in the top of the first inning against Huskies' game-two starter, Tomaschik.

The Huskies threatened in the bottom of the first as Winkelman and Mayhew started the inning with back-to-back singles. However, California starter Alex Sagl got out of the inning with no damage being done.

In the second, a walk and a single ended the day on the mound for Tomaschik. Bortner, the game one winner in relief, pulled off some magic again, this time getting out of a second and third with one-out jam as the Vulcans could not score. The Huskies fed off of Bortner's ability to work out of trouble by plating three runs in the bottom half to take a 3-1 lead.

Shelhamer doubled to left center to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Keen. After a walk to sophomore Maggie Hall (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown), Carcasses tied the game at 1-1 on a sacrifice fly to short left. Winkelman kept the inning alive with a single and  Mayhew followed with a doubl to right center to plate Hall and Winkelman for a 3-1 lead. Mayhew was gunned down trying to stretch the hit to a triple.

After Bortner escaped another second and third with one-out jam in the top of the third, the Huskies extended the lead to 4-1 with an unearned run in the bottom half. Parker led off the inning with a single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Tomaschik. With two outs, Shelhamer hit a fly ball to left field that was dropped, allowing Parker to score from second.

Bloomsburg added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth when Carcasses drove home a run with an RBI single to left center to give the Huskies a 5-1 lead.

Bortner allowed a one-out double in the top of the seventh, but left the runner stranded at third when Keen caught the final out in center field to clinch the title.

The junior righthander was sensational, throwing six shutout innings to earn her second win of the day in relief. She allowed only two hits, walked three, and struck out three. At the dish, Winkelman, Mayhew, and Shelhamer paced the Huskies with two hits apiece.

The Huskies will learn of their NCAA posteseason opponent and destination when the NCAA selection show is aired on Monday, May 2, at 10:00 a.m. The selection show can be viewed here.