Boxscore

Megan McCormick (Evans City/Seneca Valley) drove in four runs to back the three-hit shutout pitching of Erin Holloway (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) and lead host IUP to a 7-0 victory over Winston-Salem State in the opening game of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional at Podbielski Field.

The Crimson Hawks (34-6) remained undefeated in postseason play, including a 6-0 mark in winning the school's first-ever Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title. IUP, ranked No. 11 in the nation by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and hosting an NCAA tournament game for the first time in school history, will play the winner of the game between California and Kutztown tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Winston-Salem State, the champions of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, fell to 29-12 and will meet the loser of the California-Kutztown game tomorrow at 1:30.

Holloway (23-3) struck out eight and walked three in posting her 10th shutout of the season and 31st of her career. The senior righthander has won all seven of IUP's postseason games and was the MVP of the PSAC tournament.

After being held in check by Winston-Salem State starter Brittany Lane the first two innings, the Crimson Hawks broke through with four runs in the third. Monica Iachini (Claysburg/Claysburg-Kimmel) reached on an infield single and Dee Eppinger (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) laid down a sacrifice bunt. But Ram third baseman Nikki Lynch made an errant throw trying to retire Iachini at second and the runners wound up on second and third with nobody out.

McCormick followed with a single to left to drive in two runs and give Holloway all the offensive support she would need. A walk and a single by Kristen Tunno (Seaford, Va./Grafton) loaded the bases, and Raquel Rugani (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour ) knocked in two more runs with a single to cap the big inning.

McCormick and Tunno added RBI singles in the fourth to build the IUP lead to 6-0, and McCormick singled in Eppinger in the sixth to round out the scoring for the Crimson Hawks. IUP finished with 10 hits, including three by McCormick, while Eppinger scored three times.

During her seven postseason games, McCormick has 13 hits in 25 at bats with 15 RBIs. She hit three home runs and drove in 11 runs in IUP's march to the PSAC title.

Lane went the distance for the Rams, striking out six and walking two. Winston-Salem State stranded seven runners on base, including a pair in the first and third innings when it wasted opportunities to take the early lead.