SALEM, Va. – The No. 2 Lock Haven University softball team’s (51-6) four-year run of dominance in NCAA Division II softball was capped off today with the Lady Eagles second National Championship in four years.

The Haven blanked No. 5 Alabama-Huntsville (54-6) 8-0 on its way to the National title.

Lock Haven did it with another stellar pitching effort from four-time All-American Kristin Erb (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) and combined it with an offensive explosion.

The Championship marks an amazing four-year run for this Haven program, as this team will go down as one of the most dominating teams in NCAA history over a four-year stretch.

A huge reason for all the successes of the last four seasons is the stellar eight-member senior class that kicked off their careers with a National Title in 2006 here in Salem.

Lock Haven head coach Kelley Green was extremely pleased with her team, particularly in how they bounced back from Friday night’s loss to UAH.

Yesterday, LHU took two from top ranked North Georgia, outscoring the Saints 16-1 before pouring it on again today in the season’s biggest game.

“We came out and played today,” said Green. “I’m glad to see the seniors go out on this note.”

Green also noted how special this is after the team made it its ultimate goal back in the fall.

“It’s a relief, it’s exciting and it’s unbelievable,” Green said. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

Erb, the tournament’s most outstanding player recorded nine strikeouts to run her season total to 399 and Lock Haven’s bats stayed hot, as The Haven tacked on eight runs off 10 hits.

The game marked the first in the tournament’s history that ended by way of the eight-run rule with LHU on top 8-0 after only six innings.

Erb was sensational, as she improved to 50-5 on the year. The win ties the all-time single season record for wins and it marks the 100th shutout of her career.

Erb only allowed one hit over six innings and didn’t surrender a walk.

The game, much like many people expected, was a pitcher’s duel until the top of the fifth inning, when Lock Haven put three runs on the board.

It was Erb, who helped her own cause with a two-RBI double to left field that broke open the scoring. Lock Haven tacked on another run in the fifth.

The offense wasn’t done there and Lock Haven poured it on again in the sixth with a huge five-run burst, which put the game away for the Lady Eagles.

Erica Eisenbise (Wernersville, Pa./Wilson) was Lock Haven’s big bat today, as she was 3-for-4.

Ilia Lopez (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) was 1-for-3 with three RBIs.

Sarah Norris (West Chester, Pa./West Chester) led off the game with a single. It was a huge hit for her personally, as it marked the 12th of the Championships for her. Those 12 hits stand alone as the most ever in a D-II Finals Series.

Erb finished with a 2-for-3, three RBI performance.

Championship Notes:

Norris’s 12 hits break a tournament record previously held by Colleen Thorburn of Kennesaw State, who hit 11 times in the 1995 series.

The 8-0 win is the biggest margin of victory in a D-II Championship game and it was the first time the eight-run rule has been used in a title game.

The shutout was the 100th of Erb’s career.

Erb’s 50 win season ties the best mark ever for a single season in D-II. She shares the record with Danielle Penner, formerly of California (Pa.) University, who won 50 games during the ’97 season.

Erb caps off her remarkable career with a 168-18 (.903).

The Lady Eagles finish the 2009 season 51-6 record.

LHU went 15-1 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central Division play, claiming the regular season crown by way of that impressive record.

Lock Haven was 14-0 at home in ’09.

Lock Haven won its fourth straight PSAC Tournament and fourth consecutive Region Title

After winning the National Championship in 2006, LHU finished second in ’07 and third last year in ’08.

Lock Haven scored 32 runs in the tournament tying for the most ever.

Lock Haven’s stellar eight-member senior class goes out 208-23 (.900).

Five Lady Eagles made the All-Tournament team including Erb (P - Tournament MVP), Norris (3B), Lopez (SS), Eisenbise (OF) and Julia Popovich (OF).

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