After giving up an early run in the first, the Shippensburg University baseball team backed a strong pitching performance from Dan Umberger with an early offensive barrage to beat Millersville University in Game 1 of its double-header, 5-2 on Friday from Fairchild Field.

In the first inning, MU was able to work a walk and two singles to score the first run of the game off SU pitcher Nick Umberger. SU quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning with a walk and single followed by a two RBI double by center fielder Cody Kulp. Later in the inning, Tyler Shover drove Kulp in with a sacrifice fly.

Leading off in the top half of the second, MU got its last run with a homerun by Chris Edgar. Edgar was the offensive star for MU, going 3-3 in the contest.

SU added two more insurance runs with one coming in the second credited to a single by Jimmy Spanos that scored Eric Herman. Pat Kregeloh added another run with an RBI single in the sixth.

Umberger completed his third complete game by staying out of trouble with two ground-ball double plays to end innings. Umberger improved his record to 5-2. The Raiders will look for Umberger to provide more stellar performances in PSAC East play.

Things continued to go in favor of SU after it completed a doubleheader sweep defeating Millersville University, 7-4 in Game 2, Friday afternoon from Fairchild Field.

Starting pitcher Jimmy Miller got roughed up in the first after a quick Evan King strikeout. Miller would surrender a double from MU’s Chris Edgar followed by an RBI single from Mike August to put SU in an early 1-0 hole.

SU returned the favor with the help of Spanos, as the Raiders tied it up at 1-1 at the end of the first inning.

After a scoreless second inning, SU’s bats fired up in the third. SU went on a run with Eric Herman’s bunt single and Spanos’ double. Runs from Herman, Spanos Kulp and Beloff in the third gave SU a 5-1 lead and a safety net of runs.

In the fourth, MU cut into SU’s lead, when Dan Johnson homered, but the rally would be short-lived.
In the bottom half of the frame, Spanos manufactured a run after singling them subsequently stealing second and third. He was driven in by a Kyle Hollingsworth base hit, extending
SU’s lead to 6-2. SU added one more run to pad its lead.

Johnson dented SU’s lead one more time with a homerun in the sixth, however MU was unable tobring any more runs across the plate.

Beloff was 3-for-4, while catcher Tyler Shover was 2-for-4. Seven of the nine SU starters had at least one hit in the game. The team tallied 11 hits in the game.

SU plays at Bloomsburg University on Friday at 1 p.m.

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