Box Score

DRIFTON, Pa. – Senior third baseman Meg Lehman hit a go-ahead, bases-clearing triple in the fifth inning on Thursday and sophomore pitcher Emily Estep struck out 14 hitters to help the Shippensburg University softball team past West Division No. 1 seed California (Pa.), 3-2, at the PSAC Softball Championships from the ASA of PA Jake Kislan Softball Complex.

The Raiders (19-25), the Eastern Division No. 2 seed, will now play the division's top seed Kutztown on Thursday at 4 p.m. with the loser being eliminated from the tournament. The Golden Bears lost earlier on Thursday to Bloomsburg, 1-0.

Estep earned the complete-game victory, giving up two runs on seven hits as the 14 strikeouts were the second-highest total of her career. She set her career high in her last start, fanning 15 against Millersville last Saturday, and now has 29 strikeouts in her last two starts.

Down 1-0 heading into the fifth, the Raiders were able to take the lead off one stroke of the bat from the clutch-hitting Lehman. Freshman center fielder Tyler Thompson – who led the team with two hits in the game – singled to second base with one out and stole second. Sophomore second baseman Rachel Shumway then walked on four pitches, and two batters later, with two outs, sophomore left fielder Hilary Lyons loaded the bases with an infield single.

Lehman then stroked the second pitch she saw to right field to score Thompson, freshman pinch runner Jess Harding and Lyons for a 3-1 SU lead. She is now hitting 14-of-46 (.304) with runners in scoring position this season and is tied for the team-lead with nine two-out RBIs.

Estep would later get her way out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded with one out, Estep gave up a sacrifice fly to score a Vulcans run. In the next at-bat, with two outs and runners at the corners, Estep forced a game-ending groundout to first base.

Notes: Freshmen Jordie Darchicourt and Emmie Burke opened the proceedings on Thursday with a splendid rendition of the national anthem over the public address system at the complex.