QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team roughed up Eastern Division rival Kutztown on Thursday, as the Raiders remained alive in the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships with a 7-1 victory over the Golden Bears in Game 7 from sunny Veterans Park.
 
Shippensburg (28-22) advances to face Seton Hill (22-23) at 5 p.m. Thursday in Game 11 of the tournament, another elimination contest. The Griffins won their Wednesday opener (10-2 over Lock Haven) but lost to West Chester, 8-0, to set up the evening affair.
 
The Raiders opened the Game 7 scoring against Kutztown (30-15) with an RBI single from freshman Kayla Bonawitz in the third inning before adding three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.
 
With one out in the fifth, junior Tara Bicko doubled to precede RBI doubles from Bonawitz and junior Chloe Collins. Freshman Micaela Ghanayem later added an RBI-groundout in the frame to give SU a 4-0 lead.
 
The Raiders loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth on singles from freshman Kendall Geis and junior Maddie Mulhall and a fielder's choice on which junior Anna Warfield reached first base. KU almost escaped the jam, but SU broke it open with a two-out, bases-clearing double from Collins.
 
Shippensburg touched up Kutztown starter Savannah Nierintz to the tune of seven runs (all earned) and 11 hits. In her last eight starts against the Raiders over the last two seasons, Nierintz was 7-1 with a 0.14 ERA (one earned run and had struck out 47 batters in 49 innings.
 
Sophomore Taryn Wilson threw her 13th complete game of the season Thursday, allowing an unearned run on four hits while walking just one and striking out five. Wilson has pitched to a 1.56 ERA, striking out 22 hitters in 18 innings this tournament.
 
Bicko, Bonawitz and Collins each had two hits atop the Raider batting order. Junior Macy Luck had two hits, while Mulhall was 1-for-3 with a walk and a pair of runs scored.