Bloomsburg Rallies for NCAA Regional Playoff Win

Story Courtesy Kutztown Sports Information

KUTZTOWN--Bloomsburg University came from behind to send game three of the NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Regionals to extra innings and Lori Neyhard's (Bloomsburg/Central Columbia) RBI single gave the Huskies a 5-4 win over Slippery Rock University Wednesday at Kutztown University's North Campus Field.

The second-seeded Huskies (49-9) were trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh to seventh-seeded Slippery Rock (27-16), but Lacy Mauro (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on an error. She advanced to third on a groundout and headed for home on a fly out to right field, but Slippery Rock's Shardea Croes delivered a perfect throw to the plate causing Mauro to turn around and go back to third.

The Rock's catcher dropped the ball and Mauro might have been able to score, but it didn't matter as Mandy Koch reached on an error by the shortstop, plating the game-tying run. Bloomsburg loaded the bases in the ninth and Neyhard's walk-off single scored Tara Reed (Williamsport/Williamsport) for the game-winning run.

The Huskies were led by Ashley Lynn (Riverside/Danville), who pitched all nine innings, striking out 14, tying a career high. She allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits and two walks.

Three of those runs came in the top of the sixth when Slippery Rock took a 4-2 lead. Stacey Rhoades provided the big hit, blasting a Lynn offering over the left-center-field fence for the 3-2 lead. Jessica Ellebruch followed Rhoades homer by reaching on an error and later scored on a throwing error.

Slippery Rock took the early lead at 1-0 in the first inning Jordan Zeunges led off with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Ellebruch's sacrifice fly. Bloomsburg tied the game in the third Kayleen Sidisky (Bellefonte/Bellefonte) scored on a throwing error after reaching safely on a single. The Huskies took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning when Danielle Lazorka (Williamsport/Jersey Shore) singled in Tiffany Corliss. In the sixth inning Jenna Hampton's (Catawissa/Southern Columbia) RBI groundout cut Slippery Rock's lead to 4-3.

Reed, Casey Massimini (Downingtown/Downingtown West) and Neyhard each had two hits for Bloomsburg.

Bloomsburg advances to game eight and will face Kutztown, a 1-0, eight-inning winner over Shippensburg on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.