SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- Senior Emily Estep threw Shippensburg's first seven-inning no-hitter in its 53-game NCAA tournament history on Friday afternoon, recording 12 strikeouts, as the Raiders plated single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to defeat IUP 2-0 in NCAA Atlantic Regional tournament competition at Robb Field.
Shippensburg (35-15) snapped a five-game losing streak in NCAA tournament competition behind the third no-hitter of the season for Estep and the fifth of her career. It is also just the second NCAA no-hitter for the Raiders and the first since Kelley Tiesi blanked Kutztown in five innings on May 8, 2003.
Estep, a three-time PSAC East Pitcher of the Year, posted double-digit strikeouts for the fifth time this season and the 23rd time in her career. In 14 innings this season against IUP (32-16), Estep has allowed just four hits and struck out 22 in 14 innings. She struck out the side in the fifth and seventh innings and of the 21 outs she recorded, all but four were either strikeouts, foul outs or pop outs.
The Raiders had not won in the NCAA tournament since 2009 but thrived Friday on Estep's pitching and the solid production of its lineup, as the top 8 hitters in SU's batting order each finished the day with at least one hit.
