The Shippensburg University baseball team put forth a strong effort in its opening game against perennial region frontrunner West Chester on Friday afternoon from Serpico Stadium but the Raiders could not come away with a victory, dropping the Game 1 of the double header, 4-3.
Friday’s opener was played at the pace of a businessman’s special, as the two teams worked diligently and finished in just 1 hour and 45 minutes.
West Chester got on the board in the bottom of the first after Jack Provine tripled home Mike Raimo just two batters into the game.
SU answered in the top of the second, however, as Pat Kregeloh singled home sophomore designated hitter Kyle Hollingsworth with two outs. The Raiders loaded the bases in the inning but could not plate any additional runs.
Trailing 4-1 through three innings, SU got two back in the fourth when Eric Herman doubled home Hollingsworth and junior Tyler Basso. SU plated all three of its runs in the game with two outs in the respective inning.
Joe Gunkel, however, retired 10 of the final 11 batters that he faced to record the victory. The only blemish was a one-out single in the seventh inning by Herman.
The Raiders received a steady pitching effort in the opener from junior Tom Bush, who threw a complete game but fell to 3-3 for the season. He allowed four earned runs, walking one and striking out two.
The Golden Rams, ranked No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball poll and No. 5 in the NCBWA Division II poll, extended its PSAC-record winning streak to 20 games by pounding out nine hits in Game 1.
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