HTML BOX SCORE

BUCKHANNON, W. Va. - The Bloomsburg University softball team saw its tremendous 2016 campaign come to an end on Saturday morning as the Huskies dropped a 5-1 decision to California University of Pennsylvania in the semifinal round of the NCAA Division II Softball Atlantic Region 1 Tournament hosted by West Virginia Wesleyan. The Huskies finished the season with a 45-9 overall record.

The Vulcans, meanwhile, advanced to the finals with a 37-5 record, but will need to win twice against host, West Virginia Wesleyan, to advance to the Super Regional.

Junior Sarah Bortner (Glenville, Pa./South Western), fresh from her two-hit shutout of Winston-Salem State on Friday evening, got the ball again on Saturday and was matched up against California senior Alex Sagl, who, on Friday afternoon, allowed only three Bloomsburg hits in a 3-1 victory in the opening game of the tournament.

Bortner ran into trouble in the top of the first as Natalya Smarra doubled to left center with one out. Smarra took third on a deep flyout and then scored on a comebacker to the circle that ricocheted off Bortner's glove for an infield single and a 1-0 California lead.

The junior righthander settled down after that point, allowing only two hits over the next three innings before running into issues again in the top of the fifth.

Meanwhile, the Huskies had better swings against Sagl then they did on Friday afternoon but, unfortunately, still couldn't get that timely hit to crack the scoreboard.

Junior Taylor Parker (Dewart, Pa./Warrior Run) was left stranded at first base in the bottom of the first after singling through the left side of the infield. In the bottom of the second, freshman Marissa Shelhamer (Nescopeck, Pa./Central Columbia) reached on an error to lead off the inning, but was erased on a double play ball off the bat of junior Anna McElroy (Jessup, Pa./Valley View) to end another threat. Senior Valerie Carcasses (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat) led off the third inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield). However, Sagl retired sophomore Emily Mayhew (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) and Parker on back-to-back groundouts to shortstop to thwart another Huskies' rally. Bloomsburg had another attempt in the fourth when Shelhamer and freshman Alexa Erney (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) drew walks to put runners at first and second with two outs. Senior Erica Keen (Gordonville, Pa./Bishop Shanahan), however, flew out to deep center field to end the inning.

Trouble struck again for the Huskies in the top of the fifth with a two-out rally against Bortner. Jacquelyn Fowler doubled to left center to start the rally and later scored when Taylor Robblee laced a single that was slightly bobbled by Winkelman in left field to extend the Vulcans' lead to 2-0. Junior Mallory Tomaschik (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia) replaced Bortner and got out of the inning without any further damage.

Again, the Huskies threatened in the bottom of the fifth as they got a leadoff single from Carcasses to start the frame. After a sacrifice bunt from Winkelman got Carcasses into scoring position with one out, Sagl retired Mayhew on a flyball to right for the second out of the inning. A walk to Parker put runners at first and second with two outs, but Tomaschik just got under a Sagl offering and popped out to second, ending the threat.

Tomaschik retired the Vulcans in order in the sixth to give the Huskies another opportunity in the bottom half. McElroy drew a one-out walk, but was left stranded after a pair of fly balls ended the inning.

California blew the game open in the top of the seventh when Fowler hit a three-run home run, with one out, against Tomaschik to straightaway center field, ballooning the Vulcans' advantage to 5-0. Bortner came back in and allowed an infield single before ending the inning.

The Huskies finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh. Carcasses singled to lead off the inning - her third hit of the contest - and moved to second on a base hit from Winkelman. Three batters later, Tomaschik singled to drive home Winkelman for Bloomsburg's only run of the game.

Bloomsburg left ten runners on base against Sagl, who improved to 16-3. She allowed only one run on six hits, walked five, and struck out only one batter. Bortner was saddled with the loss as she finished the season with a 17-7 record. The junior allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits in five and one-third innings. She walked two and struck out four. Tomaschik allowed three runs while striking out two in an inning and two-thirds of relief.

Carcasses paced the Huskies with a 3-for-3 day at the plate in her final game in a Bloomsburg uniform. The Huskies will also say goodbye to Keen, who went 0-for-3 on Saturday, but was tied for third on the team with a career-high five home runs this season.

Bloomsburg's 45 victories this season are the most since winning 50 games during the 2010 campaign and are the most under head coach, Susan Kocher.