Shepherd Slips by Lock Haven in 11 innings, 3-0
WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – For the second consecutive game at the 2019 NCAA Tournament, the Lock Haven University softball team (32-18-1) locked up in another marathon game, but this time No. 4 seed Shepherd (40-16) came out on top, downing the eighth-seeded Bald Eagles, 3-0, in 11 innings.
The Rams scored three runs in the top of the 11th which proved to be the difference in the win for Shepherd. The win pushed SU into the championship game of the Atlantic Region 1 bracket. Lock Haven will be back in action later today.
Yesterday (Thursday, May 9), the Bald Eagles opened their 2019 NCAA tournament run with a 15-inning marathon-game vs. No. 1 seed West Liberty. Lock Haven scored five runs in the top of the 15th inning and outlasted the top-seeded Hilltoppers, 7-2.
For LHU, the 2019 NCAA tournament marks LHU’s 14th all-time appearance in the national tournament. It’s also the Bald Eagles second straight NCAA championship appearance. All-time, Lock Haven is now 49-25 in the national championship tournament.
Today vs. Shepherd, Bekah Slattery (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone), the 2019 Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year, once again lived up to the hype. She struck out seven on the way to her 11-inning effort. Slattery’s effort once gain kept the Bald Eagles in the game.
The Bald Eagles four hits came from four different players, including Amanda Criss (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air), who doubled in the 10th with one out.
Shepherd threatened in the top of fourth as the Rams loaded the bases with no outs, but again LHU was up to the ask. Slattery and the Lock Haven defense stepped up for three quick outs and extinguished the Rams’ offensive momentum.
In the seventh, both teams put their leadoff-batter on, but neither team could manufacture a run and to extra innings they went.
The 10th inning proved to be exciting. In the top half, Shepherd put its leadoff-batter on, but couldn’t get her home. In the bottom of the 10th, Lock Haven loaded the bases with one out, but again, the Bald Eagles just couldn’t find the play they need to push a run over home plate.
In the top of the 11th, Shepherd finally provided the games’ first run. In all, the Rams plated three runs.
Those three runs proved to be the game’s only runs and all the Rams needed to slip past Lock Haven.
With the win, Shepherd clinched a spot in Saturday’s championship game.
UP NEXT FOR LHU:
With today’s schedule already being shifted and pushed back because of weather, and the length of LHU’s game with Shepherd, the exact time of Lock Haven’s next game (start time) is tentative and set for approximately 6:30 p.m.
Lock Haven will play the winner of the West Liberty – Concord game which is underway as of press time.
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