After an eight day layoff the Shippensburg University softball team finally got back onto the field to play a game.

The Raiders played two tough games against Bloomsburg University, winning both games by less than two runs. SU captured Game 1, 2–0 behind a prevalent pitching outing my Emily Estep. Game 2 was another nail biter but the Raiders came out on top, 6–5 in eight innings.

Game 1

The Raiders got on the board in the first inning when Taylor Weisman reached on an error by BU shortstop Chrissy Belko. Hilary Lyons, who singled earlier in the inning, scored on the play to put the Raiders on top 1–0.

Estep made quick work of the Husky offense until the seventh inning. Estep allowed just four base runners and did not allow a run. None of the BU base runners made it past second base.

The Raiders added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Maddie Justice singled through left side hole in the infield to start the inning.

Julie Cramer came in to pinch run for Justice and stole second during the next Raider at-bat. Cramer advanced to third after a sacrifice fly from Jessie Trammell.

Cramer scored during the next at-bat when Taylor Pattillo grounded out to second base.

The Huskies gave the Raiders a little scare in the top of the seventh inning as Estep got into some trouble.

BU’s Taylor Parker singled to start the inning but was thrown out at second base in the next at bat after SU’s right fielder Briana Giovenco dove to catch a ball but it popped out of her glove.

Parker was caught in-between first and second base and Giovenco threw her out from her knees in short right field.

Estep retired BU’s next batter, Lea Rehm, but she battled with Estep until the end. Rehm stretched her at-bat to 12 pitches, fouling off seven straight pitches before she popped out to right field to end the game.

Game 2

The Raiders shadowed Game 1 when they scored early, this time they notched two runs. Giovenco scored on a wild pitch for the first run. Liz Parkins smashed a homerun in the next at bat, her second of the 2014 season.

The Raiders had a comfortable two run lead as they sent Makenzie Lynn to the circle to shut down the BU offense.

Lynn found a groove early but it was disrupted in the third inning when BU scored one run. Lynn settled back down but was rattled again in the sixth inning, this time for four runs.

Luckily for Lynn and the rest of the Raider squad, SU’s bats were alive — an aspect of SU’s game that lacked in 2013.

The Raiders retaliated with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth inning. Parkins, Weisman and Pattillo all drove in runs during the sixth inning rally.

Estep appeared in a relief role for the Raiders in the seventh inning and put a halt to an explosive BU offense.

The game was at a stalemate during the seventh inning, but the Raiders broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth. Pattillo recorded her first walk-off hit as a Raider when she drove in pinch runner Kirstin McClune to solidify the Raiders’ Game 2 win.

Pattillo stayed hot at the plate for the Raiders going 3–7 with three RBI to go along with her Game 2 walk off hit.

Lyons led the way for the Raiders at the plate in both games. The senior finished the afternoon going 5–7 with three runs scored and two stolen bases.

Parkins notched two hits in three plate appearances while driving in two runs during Game 2 to go along with her homerun.

Estep dominated the circle for the Raiders on Monday. The senior recorded nine strikeouts without surrendering a run in nine innings of work. The nine scoreless innings dropped Estep’s ERA to a more than impressive 0.35.

The Raiders return to action tomorrow when they travel to West Chester University for a double header with the first pitch being thrown at 2:30 p.m. followed by a 4:30 p.m. start.

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