SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Kutztown University softball clinched a spot in next week's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament with a 2-1, game one victory at Shippensburg University Friday afternoon in PSAC East Division action. The Raiders won game two 6-2 for a split.
 
The Golden Bears (31-13 overall, 10-4 PSAC) can win the outright, PSAC East championship by either winning both games against West Chester or having Shippensburg lose once against Mansfield.
 
It was a matchup of the top two teams in the division, and the results showed, as both teams came away with an important victory as they ready for the postseason next week in Quakertown.
 
Two freshmen led the way offensively on the day as both Brianna Stocklin (Deptford, N.J./Deptford Township) and Kristin Geesey (Bainbridge, Pa./Elizabethtown) finished with three hits. Sarah Harvey (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union), who started inside the circle in game two, had two hits in that game. Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point), Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional), Brianna Hughes (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland), Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) and Hannah Reimel (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) all had one hit on the day.
 
Bridget Bailey (Norwood, Pa./Interboro) got the start in game one and gave up just one run, striking out eight to earn her PSAC-leading 17th victory on the season.
 
Kutztown was outhit 6-4 in the opener, but scored its two runs thanks to two Raiders' (28-16, 9-5) errors. The game's first run came in the top of the third when Auvil reached on a fielding miscue by the pitcher that allowed Geesey to cross home. Shippensburg tied the game with a run-scoring single in the sixth, and then Reimel came home after Hughes' hit to third base was misplayed in the top of the seventh. Bailey closed out the game in the bottom-half of the inning.
 
Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) had an RBI groundout in the top of the first inning of game two to give KU a 1-0 lead. Shippensburg would go on to score five straight runs in the second and third innings combined. Reimel's RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth gave the Maroon and Gold its other run.
 
Kutztown hosts West Chester tomorrow, Saturday, April 30, for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. It is senior day for KU, which will honor nine seniors prior to game one. The Golden Bears have a chance to earn the PSAC East title.

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