Game 1:
The Shippensburg University baseball team took the field for Game 1 of its doubleheader Saturday against undefeated Slippery Rock University. The Rock outhit SU en route to SU’s 9–0 loss.
Coming into the game, the Raiders held a 7–1 record; this game was the first real test SU faced to see if it could be a contender in the PSAC conference this season.
The Raiders sent junior Pat Kregeloh to the bump. Kregeloh was 3–0 and had an ERA of just over two. SRU sent junior Lou Trivino to the hill. Trivino was a perfect 2–0 with a zero ERA.
The setup for the game looked like it was going to be a pitcher’s duel. Looks can be deceiving as The Rock started the game with seven runs off five hits in the top of the first. SRU was able to score three runs before the Raiders were able to record an out.
Kregeloh was able to get out of the inning, but not before the damage was done. SU got its first chance at bat to try and dig itself out of its seven-run hole.
SRU’s Trivino was able to shut the Raiders down early, going three-up-three-down in the first inning. Trivino dominated all day, tallying 11 strikeouts and only allowing three hits.
SU’s Tyler Shover, Cody Kulp and Dan Wimer were the only Raiders to record hits.
The Rock added two more runs to their lead. One point came off a sac fly from senior John Shaffer in the fourth inning, scoring Graeme Zaparzynski, putting SRU up 8–0.
The Rock added their ninth and final run in the fifth inning when junior Jake Weibley knocked in teammate Ryan LaRose when he singled to left field.
Trivino kept the Raiders at bay throughout the game, allowing The Rock to take Game 1 of the doubleheader.
Game 2
After dropping the first game of the weekend doubleheader, SU bounced back, taking Game 2 8-0.
Backed by another impressive pitching performance by Tom Bush, the SU bats came alive in the second game.
In the first inning, SU put two runners on base with a single and a walk and Pat Kregeloh ripped a double to right-center field, bringing both runners across the plate. The next batter, Simon Beloff, singled through the right side to bring Kregeloh across the plate and gave SU a 3-0 after the first inning.
Bush allowed a double in the top half of the second inning, but ended it with a flyout and a lineout.
SU brought another run across the plate in the bottom half of the second after a two-out single by Mike Marcinko knocked in Cal Hogan, giving SU a 4-0 lead.
Bush shut down SRU in the top half of the third. SU continued to score. A two-run home run for Beloff added to the lead and proved to be the final nail in the coffin for The Rock. An error later in the inning brought home another SU run, increasing its lead to 7–0 at the end of the third.
SU tacked on one more run, and effectively shut down the SRU offense that had exploded for nine runs in the first game. Bush pitched six innings and Marcus Shippey came in to close out the game for SU and preserved the 8-0 lead.
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