Kirsten Labant scored the game-winning run today

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – With runners on first and second in the bottom of ninth inning, senior-catcher Amanda Roosa (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes) delivered for the No. 2 Lock Haven University softball team (45-5), as she drove in the game-winning run to end a nine-inning thriller with No. 11 Kutztown University (46-11-1).

LHU won 1-0, taking control of the NCAA Division II Atlantic-Region Super Regional.

The best-of-three series kicked off today at Lawrence Field and resumes tomorrow with the winner advancing to the D-II Softball College World Series next week.

The nine-inning thriller was a pitcher’s dual from the start, with neither Lock Haven’s Kristen Erb (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) or KU’s Katlin Arbogast willing to give an inch.

Both were solid throughout, but it was Erb that got the offensive punch in the bottom of the ninth to take home the important Game 1 win.

Erb went the distance recording the shutout. She gave up just three hits, no walks and struck out five on the way to her 44th win of the season (44-4). She’s also just one shutout away from tying the all-time Division II mark in that category.

Lock Haven scattered five hits off Arbogast.

Erb helped her own cause as the game went into the bottom of the ninth, still scoreless. She drew a walk and when Roosa came to the plate, there were runners at first and second.

Roosa’s game-wining single drove in Kirsten Labant (Upper Black Eddy, Pa./Palisades), who was pinch-running for Erb.

Third baseman Sarah Norris (West Chester, Pa./West Chester) led LHU at the plate with a 2-for-4 outing.

LHU’s one run came off five hits and the Lady Eagles committed zero errors in the field. Kutztown recorded three hits and made two errors over nine innings of play.

The two teams will be right back at it tomorrow (Saturday May 16) at noon. Game 3 (if necessary) will follow at approximately 2:30 p.m.