ITHACA, N.Y. – Thanks to a late two-RBI single by sophomore
Nikkey Skuraton, the Bombers are moving on to the NCAA Regional finals tomorrow morning against Ramapo at 10 a.m.
Freshman
Abby Shields and Skuraton led the way for the Bomber offense, finishing with three hits, while five other Bombers recorded two hits. Sophomore
Alex Wright pitched in two of Ithaca's RBI while senior
Jessie Fleck recorded the other. Freshman
Shannon Grage went the distance for the Bombers, four hits and striking out four to earn her seventh victory of the season.
The Bombers grabbed hold of the early lead in the top of the first after Wright smoked a single down the right field line. The single scored classmate
Vanessa Brown from second after she singled up the middle and stole second. Shields attempted to continue the rally, doubling through the right side, but she and Wright were stranded after a pop out.
Penn St. Berks took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning after three of the first four Nittany Lions reached base after an infield single, a fielder's choice and a walk loaded the bases with one out. The first run crossed the plate on Carley Smith's groundout to third base and the second followed on a Becca Faust single to shortstop. Ithaca forced a groundout by Kendel Reed to end the frame with two left stranded.
Freshman
Emily Holden kicked off the top of the second with a single to left field and made her way around to third after a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball, but the Nittany Lions' defense forced a line out and a groundout to leave her 60 feet away from home.
One baserunner made their way on base for the Nittany Lions in the bottom of the second on an infield single, but two groundouts forced by Ithaca left her stranded.
The Bombers tied the game in the top of the third inning thanks to Wright's second RBI of the game. Fleck started the inning with a four-pitch walk and advanced to second on sophomore
Hannah Anderson's single through the left side. Wright singled up the middle, pushing across Fleck to tie the game at 2.
Penn St. Berks took the 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning after Ashley Malek hit a home run over the right center field fence. The junior hit the walk-off home run against Susquehanna earlier in the day to push the Nittany Lions into this game.
Ithaca threatened to tie the game in the top of the fourth when Skuraton recorded a bloop double to left field and advanced to third on Brown's fly out, but she was left at third after Fleck fouled out.
The Bombers retired the Nittany Lions in order in the bottom of the fourth to keep Ithaca's deficit at one.
Ithaca once again threatened in the top of the fifth inning after Anderson led off the frame with a single to center field. After the hit, Berks made a pitching change, bringing in Jessica Rozick into the circle. Wright moved Anderson over to second on a sacrifice bunt and Shields singled to center field, advancing on the throw to give Ithaca two runners in scoring position. The Nittany Lions' defense forced a strike out and pop out to end the frame though with both runners stranded.
Penn St. Berks got one runner on in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an Ithaca error, but the Bombers forced back-to-back groundouts to end the inning.
With one down in the top of the sixth inning, Skuraton lined a single to left center field and advanced to third on Brown's single to right. Brown stole second to give Ithaca two runners in scoring position, which worked in Ithaca's favor. Fleck hit a bloop single into left center field, allowing Skuraton to score from third and tie the game at 3-3.
Ithaca sat Penn St. Berks down in order in the bottom of the sixth, including Grage's fourth strikeout of the day.
The Bombers loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh inning and ended up pushing two runs across to take the 5-3 lead late in the game. Cooney kicked it off with an infield single to shortstop and advanced to second on Holden's single up the middle. Grage loaded the bases after reaching on a fielding error. Skuraton came through with the monster hit to left field, her third of the day, to score both Cooney and Holden.
Ithaca shut Penn St. Berks down in the bottom of the seventh, securing the victory to move on to tomorrow's regional finals.