QUAKERTOWN, Pa. (April 29) – The No. 7 Vulcans rallied from down two runs in the top of the seventh before senior third baseman Natalya Smarra (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) delivered a three-run homer in extra innings, as the California University of Pennsylvania softball team advanced to the championship of the PSAC Tournament with a 9-6 victory against Bloomsburg on Friday afternoon.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 35-2 this season and will face Bloomsburg tomorrow, Saturday, April 30, at 12 p.m. Cal U, the top seed in the PSAC West, advances to the championship from the winner's bracket and will have two chances tomorrow to claim its third-straight league title in the double-elimination tournament. Meanwhile, the Huskies, the top seed from the PSAC Central, advanced to the title game from the loser's bracket following a 3-2 win over Lock Haven in an elimination game on Friday evening.

The Vulcans trailed 6-4 entering the top of the seventh before tying the score on three hits and a sacrifice fly. Sophomore shortstop Emily Price (Warren, Ohio/Howland) led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a double by Smarra. Both runners were forced to stay on a ground-out to the left side of the infield before freshman pitcher Taylor Robblee (Woodstock, Ontario/College Avenue) lined an RBI single through the middle to give Cal U runners on the corners. Smarra then scored the game-tying run on a sacrifice fly by freshman left fielder Emilee Downing (Groveport, Ohio/Groveport Madison). Bloomsburg was retired in order in the bottom half of the inning to force extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, junior catcher Megan Jahoda (Buchanan, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) reached on a one-out error before freshman Logan Blake (Jordan Station, Ontario/Bishop Ridley) entered as a pinch runner. Blake then advanced to second when sophomore left fielder Courtney Sinclair (Oil City, Ontario/Lambton Central) reached on another error when executing a bunt. Following a ground-out, Smarra delivered the go-ahead, three-run homer, her eighth of the year, on a 1-1 pitch. The Huskies managed a one-out walk in the bottom of the inning before Robblee induced back-to-back ground-outs to end the game.

Robblee improved to 6-0 this season after tossing 4.1 shutout innings of relief, scattering two hits and two walks. She has now registered a win and a save in two appearances at the PSAC Tournament while working a combined 6.0 innings of scoreless relief. Bloomsburg starter Sarah Bortner (13-6) was saddled with the loss after surrendering nine runs (three earned) on eight hits and three walks in 8.0 innings (149 pitches).

Smarra paced the offense by going 2-for4 with a three-run homer, three runs scored and one walk. She boasts a .500 average (21-for-42) during her current 12-game hitting streak with five homers in the last six games. Price finished with a pair of hits and two runs scored, while Jahoda scored twice.

Bloomsburg took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after opening the game with a double and a two-run homer by right fielder Emily Mayhew. The Huskies later collected a single and double before the Vulcans made a pitching change to senior Megan Uher (Acme, Pa./Connellsville), who retired the next two batters to end the inning.

The Vulcans answered with four runs in the third after benefiting from a two-out error. Senior first baseman Lindsay Reicoff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before Jahoda followed with an RBI single. After a sacrifice bunt, Price followed with an infield single before both Jahoda and Price scored on a two-out error that allowed Smarra to reach base. Sophomore center fielder Jacquelyn Fowler (Grove City, Ohio/Central Crossing) followed with an RBI double that scored Smarra from second.

The Huskies countered with four runs in the top of the fourth that prompted another pitching change for the Vulcans. With runners on first and second, Mayhew lined an RBI double with two outs before shortstop Taylor Parker belted a go-ahead, three-run homer. Robblee then entered the circle and induced a ground-out to the initial batter she faced to end the fourth.

Cal U threatened in the fifth with runners on first and second following a pair of walks before the inning ended with a fly-out. The Huskies also threatened in the fifth with a single and walk before Robblee retired the next two batters to keep the score at 6-4. In the bottom of the sixth, the leadoff hitter for Bloomsburg reached on a single and later advanced to third before Robblee fielded a comebacker to the circle to end the threat.

The Vulcans will face Bloomsburg tomorrow in the PSAC Championship at 12 p.m. Cal U has now advanced to the finals of the league tournament in four-straight seasons. The Vulcans and Huskies will be playing for the league title for the fourth time since 2000 and the two programs have combined for a staggering 23 PSAC Championships.

2016 PSAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Wednesday, April 27
Game 1: (E3) Millersville d. (W3) Slippery Rock, 4-2
Game 2: (W1) California d. (C3) IUP, 4-3
Game 3: (C2) Lock Haven d. (E2) Kutztown, 4-3
Game 4: (W2) Gannon d. (E1) West Chester, 3-1
Game 5: (C1) Bloomsburg d. (E3) Millersville, 1-0
Game 6: (C3) IUP d. (W3) Slippery Rock, 2-1 (Slippery Rock eliminated)

Thursday, April 28
Game 7:  (E3) Millersville d. (E1) West Chester, 3-2 (West Chester eliminated)
Game 8:  (E2) Kutztown d. (C3) IUP, 3-2 (IUP eliminated)
Game 9:  (W1) California d. (C2) Lock Haven, 7-2
Game 10: (C1) Bloomsburg d. (W2) Gannon, 3-0
 
Friday, April 29
Game 11:  (C2) Lock Haven d. (E3) Millersville, 5-2 (Millersville eliminated)
Game 12:  (E2) Kutztown d. (W2) Gannon, 10-5 (Gannon eliminated)
Game 13:  (W1) California d. (C1) Bloomsburg, 9-6
Game 14:  (C2) Lock Haven d. (E2) Kutztown, 5-3 (Kutztown eliminated)
Game 15:  (C1) Bloomsburg d. (C2) Lock Haven, 3-2 (Lock Haven eliminated)

Saturday, April 30
Game 16:  (W1) California vs. (C1) Bloomsburg, 12 p.m. I LS
IF necessary, Game 17:  Game 16 winner vs. Game 16 loser I LS