The Shippensburg University baseball team traveled to North Carolina on Saturday to take on University of North Carolina Pembroke in a double-header. The Raiders lost both games to the Brave Hawks 10-6 and 13-0, respectively.
Despite putting up a total of 19 hits between both games, the Raiders could only score six runs, all of which came in the first game. The opposing Brave Hawks were much more efficient at the plate, scoring 23 runs on 22 hits.
In Game One, the teams were tied at one after five innings. In the top of the sixth, the Raiders scored a go ahead run on an RBI double from sophomore Dalton Hoiles. However, this lead would not last long as the Brave Hawks lit up the scoreboard with nine runs in the bottom half of the inning, taking a 10-2 lead.
The Raiders were able to score three runs in the eighth with a two-run triple by senior Austin Allison and a sacrifice fly by Hoiles. In the ninth, junior Ryan McMillen led off with a single and scored on an error.
In Game Two, the Raiders were shut out 13-0 despite having multiple scoring opportunities and 11 hits. The game did not provide many noteworthy performances, but freshman pitcher Michael Hope was able to strike out five batters in 2.1 scoreless innings of relief.
The Shippensburg baseball team dropped Game 3 of their weekend series at UNC Pembroke on Sunday, resulting in a sweep for the opposing Brave Hawks.
The matchup was much more closely contested than the doubleheader games the day before in which the Raiders lost 10-6 and 13-0. The Brave Hawks scored all four of their runs in the third and fourth inning while the Raiders found themselves playing from behind once again.
The Raiders responded in the fifth with their first run when senior Mike Marcinko walked. Marcinko was able to advance from first to third after two wild pitches and, shortly after, sophomore Grant Hoover sent his teammate home with an RBI single.
The score remained the same until the ninth, when Marcinko hit a solo home run to cut the Brave Hawks lead to just two. Hoover followed with a single, putting the tying run at the plate with two outs. Unfortunately the Brave Hawks were able to force a groundout and walk away with a 4-2 victory and a series sweep.
The Raiders move to 3-7 on the year and will return home to host their first home series of the year at Fairchild Field, starting Saturday, March 5.
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