Softball: Cal loses twice, settles for 2nd at PSAC tournament
The No. 7-ranked California University women’s softball team lost twice Saturday to Bloomsburg in the PSAC Championships in Quakertown, falling 5-4 in extra innings and 5-1.
Cal’s record dropped to 35-4 and the Vulcans must wait to see if they receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II tournament. Cal was slotted fifth in each of the three editions of the Atlantic Region rankings this spring.
Bloomsburg (44-7) receives the PSAC’s automatic berth to the NCAA tournament that begins next weekend.
Cal was two outs away from winning the conference title when Bloomsburg’s Mallory Tomaschik reached on a single and catcher Anna McElroy tied the score at 4-4 with a two-run homer, her first of the year and third in 182 career at-bats.
Cal had runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the eighth, but a foulout led to a rundown between third base and home plate that resulted in the second out of the inning. A strikeout ended the threat.
A leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth led to a game-winning single by Bloomsburg’s Taylor Winkelman.
Cal first baseman Lindsay Reicoff was 2-for-3 with a solo homer and Natalya Smarra drove in two runs.
Bloomsburg scored three runs in the second inning of the decisive second game. Emily Price gave California 1-0 lead in the first inning. Sara Bortner was the winning pitcher with six shutout innings of relief.