The Shippensburg University softball team scored seven runs in the final two innings of Game 1 at East Stroudsburg on Friday afternoon to cement an 8-4 victory en route to earning a doubleheader split from Zimbar Field in the team’s PSAC opener. The Raiders dropped Game 2 by a score of 11-3.

Emily Estep earned her second victory of the season with an 11-strikeout, six-hit performance in the first five innings of Game 1. Liz Parkins closed out the final two innings, allowing two hits and striking out two to earn her first career save.

Catcher Meg Lehman was stellar at the plate in Game 1, going 4-for-5 and smacking a three-RBI double to center field in the top of the seventh inning to plate SU’s final three insurance runs.

Center fielder Tyler Thompson went 3-for-5 from her leadoff spot in the victory, scoring two runs and driving in one. Maddie Justice, playing right field in Game 2, went 1-for-3 and drove in two of SU’s three runs in the loss.

In Game 1, Estep came out dealing, striking out three batters in the first inning before fanning the side in the second. She allowed a solo home run from Warriors catcher Alex Schubert in the fourth inning before allowing three singles and one more run in the fifth.

SU answered right back in the fifth and sixth innings. After leaving seven runners on base through the first four frames, the Raiders reached home in the fifth when designated player Jessie Trammell singled home Lehman to tie the game at 1.

SU took the lead with two more runs in the following inning. After junior right
fielder Kiersten Darhower and Thompson reached on singles, freshman shortstop Taylor Weisman singled home Darhower and advanced Thompson to third.

Then, with Justice at the plate and Thompson and Weisman at the corners, Weisman attempted to steal second but got caught in a rundown on a throw from Schubert to second base. Weisman managed to escape and slide safely back into first base, but not after Thompson had scored from third to put SU up 3-2.

The Raiders padded their lead in the final inning as a Trammell walk, a single from sophomore left fielder Hilary Lyons and a Liz Parkins hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out.

Game 2 played out differently as Chelsea Kendall earned the start in the circle but was touched for four earned runs on six hits in one and one-third innings before freshman Makenzie
Lynn came in for three innings of relief. Lynn struck out two but also allowed six hits and four earned runs in her appearance. The four run deficit pitted SU in a hole early.

After going down 4-0 in the second, Shippensburg nearly earned it all back with a three-run third inning. First baseman Jenna Allen led off with a walk and Lynn singled. Lehman later walked to load the bases, allowing Weisman to walk in a run in the next at-bat.

Justice then smoked a shot to center field that found the grass after the center fielder misjudged the flight of the ball. The error resulted in two RBIs for Justice as Lehman and freshman pinch runner Jess Harding scored.

Emily Parkins and Justice combined to pitch the last four outs of the game, just before an ESU single with two outs in the bottom of the sixth gave the Warriors an eight-run advantage that ended the contest by virtue of the mercy rule.

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