LHU Gets Pair of Thrillers and PSAC West Title, 5-4, 10-7

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The sixth inning was good to the Lady Eagles today, as both games featured huge sixth inning comebacks for the Lock Haven University softball team (29-6, 15-1 PSAC West) in wins over California University (Pa.) (22-12, 10-6 PSAC West) 5-4 and 10-7, on Senior Day (April 16) at Lawrence Field.

California jumped out to a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth, when the LHU bats took over. A leadoff double by junior Courtney Hughes (Schwenksville,Pa./Souderton) was immediately cashed in on a single by classmate Heather Johnson (Williamsport , Pa./Williamsport). Senior Colleen Welsh (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville) pinch ran and scored by stealing home on a first-and-third situation. Two more runs came in on an error off the bat of senior Kristin Frantz (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown), giving the Lady Eagles a 4-3 lead.

Cal U battled back for a run in the seventh, forcing extra innings—three of them.

In the bottom of the 10^th, Johnson was placed on second for NCAA tiebreaker rules. Senior Kelly Deitrick (Danville, Pa./Danville) sacrificed her over to third, where a double off the bat of Danielle Fraser (West Milford ,N.J./West Milford) sealed the win and the PSAC West for LHU.

Junior Shona M. Guevara (Chino Hills, Calif./Humboldt State University) pitched all 10 innings, improving to 16-4. Cal U’s starter Katie Francart (9-6) took the loss.

In game two, all six LHU seniors peppered the starting lineup. Molly Shuey (Tower City, Pa./Williams Valley) got her third start of the season, Lynn Spiezio (Trooper, Pa./Methacton) scored a run, Deitrick was 1-for-6 with a run scored on the day, catcher Janet Paterson (Frederick, Md./Walkersville) hit a key home run and drove in four, while Frantz and Welsh both scored runs.

The Vulcans posted the first five runs of the contest, before LHU answered back with three in the fourth. The big blow of the inning was a two-RBI double from Paterson.

Cal U made it 6-3 with another run in the sixth, before the Lady Eagle bats exploded again in the sixth. Paterson, Fraser, Stephanie Hallowell (Eagleville, Pa./Methacton) and Hughes all had RBI in the inning, as 11 LHU batters came to the plate.

Cal U managed one run in the seventh, but the rally stopped there. Junior Jeanette Middlestead (Coatesville, Pa./La Salle University) got the win in relief to improve to 12-1. Vulcan starter Becky Mezyk fell to 9-7 with a complete-game effort.