INDIANA, Pa. (April 28, 2015) - The Edinboro softball team entered the day needing one win to clinch a PSAC Tournament berth for the second straight season but could not defeat a Indiana (Pa.). The Crimson Hawks needed to sweep the Fighting Scots to clinch the fourth and final spot from the PSAC West and did so by scores of 4-3 and then 16-7 (five innings). Edinboro ends its season with a 23-14-1 record overall, tied for the second-most wins in school history. Only the 2009 team that finished 26-19 won more games. The Scots concluded with a 15-12-1 PSAC West record while IUP is now 18-22 on the season and 16-14 in conference.

GAME ONE: Indiana (Pa.) 4, Edinboro 3
The Fighting Scots first chance to clinch a postseason berth was a tightly contested game but one in which they left 11 runners on base and failed to score on two bases loaded opportunities.

 

Edinboro score the first one of the game in the third inning. Laura Crooks reached on a single with two outs and then proceeded to steal second and third base. She scored when Heather Tighe reached on an error by the pitcher to take a 1-0 lead.

Indiana (Pa.) quickly took over the lead. The Crimson Hawks used four hits, two of which were triples, and one error in the bottom of the third inning to score three runs. After the second triple, Edinboro pulled starter Kalet Lenart and brought Taylor Payne in to pitch.

The Scots first bases full opportunity came in the next inning. Singles by Shelby Proctor, Brooke Callaghan, and Theresa Fleckenstein to lead off the top of the fourth inning loaded the bases. The next two Edinboro batters went down in order before Callaghan was thrown out at third base on a fielder's choice by Kylie Mason.

Edinboro cut into the deficit in the fifth inning. With Haley Struebing on third and Proctor at first, the Fighting Scots went for the double steal and a throwing error by the catcher allowed Struebing to score unearned and make it a 3-2 game.

The Crimson Hawks recaptured a two-run lead in the bottom half of the frame. In a similar situation as the Scots were in the top of the inning, IUP had runners on the corners. Stefanie McCoy grounded into a double play but it was enough to score Hannah Mercer from third base.

The other bases loaded situation for Edinboro occurred in the sixth inning. The first two batters were each retired before a single by MaryLouise Lindner. Mason then followed by reaching on a fielder's choice before Laura Crooks singled to load the bases for Tighe. The sophomore designated player grounded out to first base to end the inning.

Payne coasted through the bottom of the sixth inning allowing just one baserunner on a walk to stay within two runs. Struebing immediately closed the gap to one run with a home run to left centerfield. The next two Scots failed to get on-base before Fleckenstein provided a moment of hope with a single. Jessica Hyland then grounded out to end the first game 4-3.

Lenart was credited with the loss as she fell to 7-5 on the season. The sophomore threw 2.2 innings and allowed five hits, three runs, and no walk. She had one strikeout.

Alexa Campbell earned the win for IUP after throwing a complete game. She is now 10-12 this season after giving up three runs, one earned, 12 hits, no walks, and striking out one.

Struebing's home run was her eighth of the season. It tied a mark she reached last season as the second-most home runs in a single season for Edinboro. It was also the 17^th career home run for the Buffalo, New York native, leaving her one shy of Ashley Black for second in school history.

Crooks' two stolen bases pushed her season total to 20 to finish with the fifth-most for the Scots in a year. It pushed her career total to 24 which is tied with Shelly Herzing and Tara Frantz for seventh place.

GAME TWO: Indiana (Pa.) 16, Edinboro 7 (Five Innings)
Now with the second game being a "win or go home" situation for both teams, Edinboro scored five runs in the top of the first inning. Tighe scored the first run on a fielder's choice to plate Mason. Struebing's bunt then scored Crooks from third base. The Fighting Scots scored four runs before the Crimson Hawks recorded a putout. Edinboro led 5-0 off of five hits, one walk, and one error.

IUP spoiled Edinboro's party quickly. The Crimson Hawks scored two runs with Abby Sotter in the circle before she was relieved by Payne who inherited two runners in scoring position. Indiana (Pa.) continued to score and took the lead on a two-run home run by Lauren Hogue. IUP led 6-5 at the end of one inning.

The Crimson Hawks added four more runs in the bottom of the second inning which would prove to be enough to win the game. Four hits led to a 10-5 deficit for Edinboro.

 

The game was called due to the eight-run mercy rule after the top of the fifth inning. The Fighting Scots entered the inning trailing 16-5. Alexandra Carroll and Callaghan each scored but it was not enough as Edinboro saw its season come to an end by the score of 16-7.

Abby Sotter earned the loss and ended the season at 3-3.

Emily Hoffman won the game in relief for the Crimson Hawks. She pitched 4.1 innings and gave up four hits and two runs.

Struebing's RBI in the second game bumped her season-total to 32. That is tied for the third-most in a single-season in Fighting Scots history with Heather Clark. For her career, she has 61 RBI, the seventh-most all-time for the Scots. Struebing also has 62 career runs, two shy of the top ten.

Crooks finished with 30 runs for the season, which is the seventh-most in a season. She finished the second game 1-for-3 which gave her 55 hits for the season, tying former teammate Brenna Cosgrove for fourth-most in a year. Crooks ended the season with a .451 batting average becoming only the second player in school history to hit .450 or better.

Mason's run was her 28^th of the year, tied for ninth place with Diane Tricky and Kristen Neuberger.