QUAKERTOWN Pa. – The Lock Haven University softball team (28-16-1) opened the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Conference tournament Wednesday afternoon in Quakertown, Pa. against Shippensburg University (24-21). The Bald Eagles used a huge, three run homer from Chloe Kennedy (Elkton, Md./Caravel Academy) in the fifth inning to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead as Lock Haven knocked off the Raiders, 5-2.
 
With the win, LHU advances to the second round of the tournament where the team will clash with the Gannon Golden Knights, the top seed from the Western Division.
 
The Golden Knights advanced to the second round earlier in the day after an 11-1 victory over Mansfield.
 
After a scoreless first three and a half innings, The Raiders were able to get the scoring started as they put two runs on the board to jump ahead 2-0 after four innings.
 
In the top of the fifth, Lock Haven responded in a huge way.
 
After Bekah Slattery (Douglasville, Pa./Daniel Boone) and Faith Ceely (Troy, Pa./Troy) singled to start the inning, Kennedy stepped to the plate. With the two runners on, Kennedy delivered a huge, three-run homer to left-center field to put LHU ahead, 3-2.
 
Becca Caputo (Williamsport, Pa./Jersey Shore) was next up and also delivered in a big way. Caputo followed up Kennedy's home run with one of her own for back-to-back homers as she drilled a fastball over the centerfield fence to extend Lock Haven's lead to 4-2.
 
In the top of the seventh, Caputo came up big again for LHU when she sent a single up the middle to score Kennedy from second as The Bald Eagles extended their lead to 5-2.
 
Ship tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh with two runners on and two outs, but Slattery was able to record her 10^th strikeout of the game to shut the door on this one and give Lock Haven the 5-2 win.
 
Caputo and Kennedy led the Lock Haven offense as they tallied all five of LHU's RBI's. Kennedy finished with her three-run home run, three RBI's and two runs scored. Caputo finished 2-4 with a home run, a run scored and two RBI's.
 
Ceely added two hits and a run scored while Slattery, Casey Carpenter (Spring Brook, Pa./North Pocono) and Amanda Criss (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) all added hits for LHU.
 
Up next: SCHEDULE UPDATE
 
The Bald Eagles will play the team's second round matchup tomorrow, May 2 against Gannon. That game is scheduled for aN 11:30 AM first pitch. The game was originally scheduled for 3:00 but anticipated precipitation has caused the games to be moved up in the day with Lock Haven vs. Gannon will be played at 11:30 AM