LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The No. 3 Lock Haven University softball team (40-5) jumped on Shippensburg University (21-23) early and often, as the Lady Eagles cruised to a 11-1 victory in the 2009 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament First Round title game.

The win gives Lock Haven the right to host next weekend’s PSAC Championship.

The Haven bats came alive from the opening pitch and the Lady Eagles recorded their 11 runs on 14 hits on the way to the five-inning victory.

LHU, playing as the visitor on Lawrence Field took an early 1-0 lead after the top half of the first inning after some perfect execution.

Senior-ace Kristin Erb (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) put together another solid outing in the pitching circle. She gave up just one hit and allowed only a run, while striking out four and walking one over five innings of play.

Nancy O’Connor (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East) led LHU as the plate with a perfect 3-for-3 outing. She scored one run and drove in another.

Julia Popovich (Lemont, Pa./State College) went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.

Brittany Muthard (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and homered for the second straight game.

Sarah Norris (West Chester, Pa./West Chester) and Ilia Lopez (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) both turned in solid days hitting as the two went 2-for-3 and 3-for-4, respectively.

LHU will host the PSAC Championships next Sunday, May 3.

Lock Haven is the No. 1 seed, while Kutztown University earns the No. 2 seed and Bloomsburg the three-seed.

On Sunday at 1 p.m., No. 2 Kutztown will take on No. 3 Bloomsburg.

No. 1 Lock Haven will take on the winner for the PSAC title immediately following.