The PSAC named Ruffner as the East Division’s Pitcher of the Year. Courtesy photo

QUAKERTOWN, Pa. — A wholly impressive team performance in the PSAC tournament has earned Shepherd University a berth in the NCAA Division II national tournament. By grinding through seven games in the conference softball tournament, Shepherd was not only selected by the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis to play in the eight-team Atlantic Regional, but was also given the No. 3 seed in the event despite a 28-22-1 overall record.

PSAC tournament winner East Stroudsburg (46-10) is the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Regional.

The Rams had finished third in the East Division of the conference, in the regular season.

Opening play on May 1 in Quakertown against Gannon of the West Division, the Rams posted an eye-opening 9-0 win. The East Division’s Pitcher of the Year, Madelayne Ruffner, blanked Gannon on three hits while fanning 15 and walking none.

Madelyn Chambers, Lauren Moore and Lexi Clatterbuck all went 3-for-4, as Shepherd had 14 hits. Cate Russian and Haylee Hartman both went 2-for-3.

In its second tournament game, Shepherd lost, 10-5, to eventual champion East Stroudsburg. Both Chambers and Moore hit home runs for the Rams.

The loser’s bracket was Shepherd’s fate, after falling to the Warriors.

Only wins in its remaining games could keep the team alive in the tournament.

With Ruffner back as its pitcher, the Rams stopped Bloomsburg, 3-2, to move its record in the tournament to 2-1. Ruffer allowed seven hits, fanned six and didn’t walk any. A three-run fourth inning proved to be enough, as Chambers went 3-for-4, Moore 2-for-3 and Clatterbuck 2-for-3.

The Rams faced a potential doubleheader the next day, needing wins in both games to keep on playing in the double-elimination event.

Shepherd throttled Kutztown, 10-2, in a game abbreviated to five innings, because of softball’s eight-run “mercy rule.”

Ruffner posted her 19th win of the season, an eight-hitter with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Moore, Camdyn Noland and Clatterbuck all hammered home runs and Clatterbuck drove in four runs. Chambers, Brenna Collis, Hartman and Clatterbuck each went 2-for-3.

That same afternoon the Rams played their fifth game of the tournament and defeated Slippery Rock, 8-2. Sam Colaw was the winning pitcher.

Moore homered for the second straight game — she would eventually hit a home run in four consecutive games — while Hartman had two hits and three RBIs. Collis and Chambers also contributed two hits each. Slippery Rock was eliminated with the loss.

Only Shepherd and East Stroudsburg remained, and the Warriors were undefeated.

Ruffner, who had posted three wins in the event, blanked East Stroudsburg on five harmless hits, while fanning nine and allowing her only walk of the four-day event.

Shepherd’s 3-0 win was also keyed by another Moore home run and a 2-for-3 day from Clatterbuck. Moore also landed two hits.

Shepherd’s tournament record was up to 5-1. In the event’s finale, Moore homered once again, but the Warriors jumped on Colaw’s servings and posted a 10-2 win. Collis was 2-for-4 for the marathon-like Rams.

The PSAC handed out individual honors last week, naming Ruffner as the East Division’s Pitcher of the Year and placing her alongside Moore (third base) and Chambers (utility/non-pitcher) on the East Division’s all-conference first team.

The Atlantic Regional tournament’s eight-team field includes East Stroudsburg, West Chester, Shepherd, Shippensburg, Kutztown, Bloomsburg, Charleston (WV) and Bowie State. It is a double-elimination event, where the champion goes into the Division II Softball World Series.