SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Bloomsburg University softball team's season came to a close in the NCAA Tournament's Atlantic Regional on Friday in Shippensburg, but the Huskies certainly did not go down without putting up a fight. 
 
Bloomsburg (28-20, 10-6 PSAC) had some gutsy performances on offense and defense to stay alive during its elimination game against Claflin (22-14, 15-1 CIAA), and it took 10 innings, a lightning delay, and a three-and-a-half hour game for the Panthers to score the winning run on a wild pitch and defeat the Huskies by a final tally of 3-2. 
 
A pitcher's duel throughout, it took seven innings for either team to get a run on the scoreboard and it was Bloomsburg's Nicolette Ray (Abington, Pa./Abington) who drove in the first runs of the game with a clutch two-run double. Ray's extra-base hit scored Kayleigh Lenner (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) from second and Sammi Starr (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area) from first to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh. 
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Claflin got its first two hitters on base by way of a walk and hit by pitch, and with one swing of the bat, Brenay Howard tied things up at 2-2 with a two-run double. Following a fly out to center field for the first out of the inning, a groundout in the next at-bat allowed Howard to advance to third as the game-winning run. Nevertheless, freshman pitcher Callie Sowers (Irwin, Pa/Hempfield Area) was able to get out of the jam by drawing another groundout to end the inning. 
 
Sowers struck out seven hitters in seven innings and allowed just five hits and two earned runs during the contest, which was paused for approximately an hour during the fourth inning due to a lightning delay. 
 
In the top of the eighth inning, Danielle Barnes (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) led things off for the Huskies with a single following a 10-pitch at-bat. The senior was left on base after Claflin pitcher Shaniya Thomas was able to retire the next three batters in order. 
 
With their backs up against the wall once again in the bottom of the eighth, the Huskies defense answered. Marion Goings started the inning off for the Panthers with a leadoff double, and she was able to advance to third base during the next at-bat on a wild pitch. With the game-winning run on third with no outs, Claflin looked destined to take a walk-off victory – but the momentum shifted in a blink of an eye during the ensuing plate appearance when Bloomsburg pitcher Kelly Eberly (Purcellville, Va/Homeschooled) drew a groundout to third base and Goings attempted to score on the throw to first. Realizing she was likely out on a clean throw to home after the putout was made at first base, Goings turned to run back to third during the play, but she slipped and was caught in a pickle in between third and home. Goings was tug out by Starr shortly after falling and Eberly was able to work out of the inning unscathed. 
 
Both teams got one runner on base during the ninth inning, but neither team was able to score and the ballgame remained tied at 2-2. 
 
Bloomsburg's Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) led off the top of the 10^th with a single and was able to advance into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by Barnes. However, back-to-back pop flies to the shortstop ended the inning and stranded Barnes at second. 
 
Claflin mimicked the Huskies' attempt to score by leading off the bottom-half of the inning with a single and advancing the go-ahead run to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Alexandria Beavers, who was on second base following her leadoff hit, did the rest herself by getting to third and then scoring on two wild pitches to walk things off for the Panthers.
 
Starr, DelPierre and Barnes all had two hits for the Huskies. Lenner was 1-for-4 with a triple to lead off the game. Ray walked once to go along with her clutch two-run double and Bella Culp (Harrisburg, Pa/Central Dauphin) recorded the team's other hit to bring the squad's total to nine. 
 
On the mound, Sowers and Eberly combined for nine strikeouts and allowed just seven hits and three earned runs through 9.1 innings. The freshmen also left 10 Claflin runners stranded on base as they pitched out of multiple jams throughout the game. 
 
The 10-inning contest was the second extra-inning game played at Robb Field in Shippensburg on Friday the 13^th. Earlier in the day, Seton Hill beat Shippensburg 3-2 in 10 innings. Seton Hill now awaits the winner of Claflin-Shippensburg for the chance to play for a spot in the Super Regional.