Shippensburg University baseball won three games against St. Michael’s this weekend to kick off their season, winning 8-2 on Friday before 17-4 and 8-7 victories on Saturday.

The teams were supposed to play a doubleheader on Friday, but extended snow removal pushed the start time back and changed the schedule to a single nine-inning game.

With Friday’s game tied 1-1 in the second, redshirt sophomore Brady Harbach smacked a two-run double to left center, putting the Raiders in front. They would score four more runs in the third, highlighted by sophomore Will Oates hitting his first collegiate home run to score two runs.

Junior Conner Barto got the opening day start for SU on the mound, going five innings and getting the win. He allowed one run on three hits and three walks, striking out eight. Sophomore Jacob Dennis pitched four innings of one-run ball in relief, striking out five and earning his first collegiate save.

Saturday’s action began with a seven-inning game that saw Saint Michael’s jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first. SU responded promptly, with sophomore Thomas Cano-Piszel tying it with a single in the third, followed by junior Ty Sherman’s two-run single putting Shippensburg in front.

The Raiders exploded on offense in the fourth inning, scoring 10 runs while sending 15 hitters to the plate. Six different SU hitters recorded RBIs in the frame, including Oates’ two-run single and a three-run double from Cano-Piszel. Oates would go 4-for-5 in the game with four RBI.

Junior Bryce Amos went 3.1 innings in his start for SU, giving up four earned runs on three hits and five walks. Redshirt sophomore Kaleb Maksimik got the win after 1.2 scoreless innings of relief. The Raiders had 17 hits in the game and stole six bases.

The nightcap turned into a back-and-forth contest, with the Purple Knights looking the best they had all weekend. They opened with a 2-0 lead, but sophomore Evan Shoffler hit a leadoff home run for SU in the first, cutting the deficit in half. It was the first home run of his college career.

Sherman tied the game in the second inning before St. Michael’s pulled back ahead in the third. This didn’t last long, as senior AJ Wenrich’s first home run of the season evened the game at three.

Shoffler’s power surge continued in the fourth, sending a two-run home run over the left field fence in the fourth for a 5-3 Raider lead. After each team scored a run in the sixth, the Purple Knights’ Richard Gilboy tied the game at six with a two-run double in the seventh.

Sherman came through once again in a clutch spot, his fourth hit of the game being an RBI single scoring Harbach in the seventh, putting SU ahead 7-6. The game would be shortened to eight innings due to darkness, with senior Jack Robinson pitching a scoreless eighth for his first save of the year.

Senior Brendan Anderson pitched three innings in his start, allowing three runs, four hits and three walks. Redshirt sophomore Brady Kain had a strong relief outing, allowing one run over three innings in his first appearance in nearly two years. Freshman Nathan Lake got the win after allowing a pair of runs in the seventh.

Shippensburg will look to add to its 3-0 start next weekend, hosting Gannon for a three-game series. The teams will play a single game at 2 p.m. on Friday before a doubleheader on Saturday  at noon.

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