The Shippensburg University baseball team snuck away with one win in five matchups versus Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference competition this past week.

The team beat East Stroudsburg University once, 9-6, but dropped the remaining three games of the four-game series 6-2, 11-8 and 3-1. SU also lost a home game to Shepherd University on Tuesday, 6-4.

The Raiders opened up last week’s play on April 5 in a road game against Shepherd University. The team rallied late, but could not overcome a six-run deficit, losing 6-4.

Through six innings, it had appeared that Shepherd had the game well in hand, but Shippensburg’s bats came alive in the top of the seventh inning. Headed into the final frame, the team had brought itself to within three.

Shippensburg came to bat in the ninth with the score 6-3. Its first two batters, Jack Goertzen and Cash Gladfelter, both reached base, but the ensuing two batters created outs. With one out left to spare, Dalton Hoiles came to bat and ripped a single to score Gladfelter from second. Now, down just two runs, the Raiders hopes were left on Nick Spangler. Spangler worked the count, but ultimately struck out looking.

The Raiders then returned home and turned their attention to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East opponent, East Stroudsburg.

In its first double header, Shippensburg split with the Warriors — winning one and dropping one. East Stroudsburg took Game 1, but Shippensburg rebounded to take Game 2.

The Raiders were on the wrong side of a pitching gem from East Stroudsburg’s Matt Festa in Game 1. Festa threw a 124-pitch complete game to limit SU to just five hits and two runs. He is now 8-0 on the year with the 6-2 win.

Both of Shippensburg’s runs came on bases-loaded walks. Scoring for the Raiders were freshman Cash Gladfelter and senior Austin Allison.

In Game 2 of the doubleheader, the story was much different for the Raider’s offense. The team put together eight runs versus the Warrior’s starter, Tyler Eckman, to win 9-6. Eckman entered Friday’s matchup with a 1.47 ERA.

A good portion of the Raider’s nine runs came by way of a two-out rally in the fourth inning.

With runners on the corners, it was Grant Hoover’s single that started the scoring. Following his at bat, Allison doubled to center to score senior Mike Marcinko.

Sophomore Spangler capped off the inning for SU with an RBI double that scored Allison. Spangler finished 5-for-7 in the two games.

Shippensburg then headed back to East Stroudsburg on Saturday for the final two games of the weekend series. The Raiders came back empty-handed from this trip, as the team lost both games.

Shippensburg lost a high-scoring affair in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, 11-8. The Raiders led 4-1 headed into the bottom of the fourth, but by the end of the frame it was trailing 8-4. East Stroudsburg’s Robbie Bennie led the way to the seven-run inning with his grand slam.

Shippensburg still had life, though, after Gladfelter and Marcinko batted in a combined three runs in the sixth inning. The rally was ended abruptly, as SU grounded into a double play with the bases loaded.

The final game of the series came Saturday. It was a pitcher’s duel, but it was East Stroudsburg that came away with the victory, 3-1.

Shippensburg’s Kyle McClintock put in a complete-game effort, allowing only five hits and three runs in seven innings, but the two RBIs he gave up in the bottom of the fourth were the difference.

Shippensburg trailed the Warriors 7-6 in hits in Saturday’s game.

The Raiders are back at it this week on Tuesday when they host the Wilmington University Wild Cats at 3 p.m.

The team will also have a four-game series with Kutztown University this Friday and Saturday in home-and-home doubleheaders with the Golden Bears. 

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