Blackbirds Fall to Penn State, 2-1

(boxscore)

05/20/06 - Long Island University saw its season come to a close on Saturday, falling to Penn State, 2-1, in the elimination game of the NCAA Division I Softball Regional at Hofstra University.

The Blackbirds took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Celina Castillo (Belmont, Calif.) led off with a walk and moved to second on a ground out. Junior right fielder Randi Gillespie (San Jose, Calif.) followed hit a sharp single to right to advance Castillo to third.

Sophomore Alyssa Winslow (San Jacinto, Calif.) registered a hit into shallow center to plate Castillo and give LIU the early edge.

Penn State answered with two runs in the third inning to take a 2-1 advantage. With one out, sophomore Ashley Esparza ripped a line drive into the right center field gap to score Jen Acunto from first and tie the contest. A single down the right field line by senior Leigh Murray would score the go-ahead run.

The Blackbirds had a chance to pull even in the fifth. Nittany Lions starter Jenn Reynolds gave up a double to Castillo to start the frame. Missy Beseres entered in relief and surrendered an infield single to Gillespie to put runners on first and third with one out. However, Beseres induced a pop-up and a strikeout to end the inning and the threat.

Northeast Conference Pitcher of the Year Jenny Giles (Melbourne, Fla.) worked her way out of a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the top of the sixth. She forced a ground-out a home and a pop- up to third to end the frame and hold the score at 2-1.

Giles (22-17) struck out seven, giving up seven hit in the complete-game outing – her second of the day. Junior Randi Gillespie was 2-for-4 for the Blackbirds and ended the season just one hit shy of tying the LIU single season record (62).

The Blackbirds close the season with a 34-24 ledger, earning their third trip to the NCAA Regionals in the past four years.