New venue, same results for the Shippensburg University baseball team as it bounced back after a 7–3 defeat to Kutztown University to take the second game of the twin bill 8–2 at Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg, Pa.
The Raiders earned a much-needed win against the PSAC East foe after dropping a pair of one-run games on Friday afternoon in KU.
*Game 1: *
The Raiders sent junior Shawn Paterson to the bump for Game 1 to try and derail a hot Kutztown team.
However, the Golden Bears got to Paterson early when Kyle Stout hit a single to drive in Brandon in the first inning.
KU added to its lead in the fourth inning when John Dockins drove in Travis Kreitz and Matt Albaugh, putting the Golden Bears up 3–0.
SU cut KU’s lead to one in the fifth inning when Bobby Atwell doubled to left center, scoring Cody Kulp. Later in the inning, Mike Marcinko singled to left field, scoring Atwell to pull SU to within one.
The Golden Bears took advantage of SU’s defensive miscues in the fifth and sixth innings, scoring four runs (three of those unearned) to give them a 7–2 lead.
Cody Kulp tried to spark the Raider offense in the seventh inning when he hit an opposite-field home run that barely cleared the fence, but KU’s Matt Swarmer shut the Raiders down in the bottom of the frame to give KU the 7–3 victory.
Kulp finished the day 4¬-of-5 with two RBIs and one home run.
Game 2:
In Game 2 SU jumped out to an early lead thanks to a Pat Kregeloh thee-run home run that just squeaked inside the left field foul pole.
The Golden Bears answered with runs in the second and third innings, but SU’s Austin Bartley, Rich Michaud and Nick Massetti shut the door from there to shut out KU the rest of the way. Massetti’s effort earned him his first victory of the season.
SU added five runs to its lead, scoring two in the third and fourth innings and one final run in the sixth.
After the weekend doubleheader, SU (17–8, 4–4) falls to the fourth spot in the PSAC East standings while KU (16–5, 7–1) jumps to the No. 2 spot.
The Raiders will return home on Wednesday for a 3 p.m. matchup against PSAC foe Indiana University of Pa. at Fairchild Field.
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