QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team could not overcome an early deficit sustained in Game 5 of the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Softball Championships, dropping a 4-2 decision to Gannon on a sunny Wednesday evening from Veterans Park.
 
Shippensburg (27-22) will face Kutztown in an elimination game at 10 a.m. Thursday (Game 7) after the Golden Bears were defeated 16-0 in five innings by Bloomsburg. Gannon (28-12) gets the Huskies at 12:30 p.m. (Game 10).
 
The Golden Knights scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning off SU junior Chloe Collins that proved to be the difference. Sophomores Taryn Wilson and Julia Tosti combined to throw five shutout innings of relief, allowing just three hits and striking out eight.
 
Junior Tara Bicko stirred the drink once again for the Raiders on Wednesday; after a career-high four RBIs in a Game 1 win over IUP, she came back with two hits and an RBI against Gannon.
 
SU loaded the bases in the fifth, beginning with freshman Micaela Ghanayem leading off with a single and freshman Kayla Bonawitz dropping down an exquisite bunt single with one out. Two batters later, Bicko singled through the right side.
 
With the bases loaded and two outs, freshman Kendall Geis hit a ball about 230 feet but it was well foul down the left-field line. A fielder's choice ultimately ended the inning.
 
Collins got SU on the board in the sixth, delivering a leadoff hit on a sharp comebacker to the circle and promptly stealing second base. Freshman Meghan Klee singled her to third, and in the next at-bat, Klee was caught stealing but Collins raced home on the play to get the Raiders on the scoreboard.
 
Down to the last out in the seventh, a shot to center by Bicko resulted in a hit and junior Anna Warfield ultimately scored from first base on the play. SU got the tying run to the plate, but could not equal the score. Gannon's Olivia Gumbita threw a complete game, striking out eight for the win.
 
Wednesday's meeting was the first game between the two teams since March 8, 2008, a 6-1 victory for the Golden Knights in a game that was played in Florida.