There is nothing quite like sinking the game-winning shot. Every team in sports knows all too well the grind of a long week of practice, and the doubts and questions that creep in throughout a long season; is it all worth it?
Springtime means a variety of things. Besides the warmer temperatures and the flowers blooming, it means that spring sports are beginning, and winter sports are coming to their pulse-pounding conclusions.
The Shippensburg baseball team entered Saturday’s double-header riding a three-game win streak, Millersville entered with 12 consecutive wins of their own.
The Shippensburg University baseball team split its season series with Millersville University after capturing one game on Sunday afternoon. The Raiders fell to MU in Game 1, 4-0 before flipping the script and winning Game 2 by a score 4-1.
Consistent gusts of wind created zero obstacles for the Raiders as they ended a 4-game skid and defeated the Mansfield Mountaineers 5-4 and 10-3 in a double-header on Ship’s Robb Field. Shippensburg (10-9, 5-7 PSAC East) totaled 23 hits and compiled 15 runs, tying a season-high 10 runs in the second matchup to edge the Mountaineers (6-10-1, 1-7 PSAC East) in both contests. “Winning these two games today means everything to me, particularly with this group of young ladies,” said Head Coach Bob Brookens after his squad’s two victories.
The Shippensburg University softball team hosted Lock Haven in a double-header on Thursday from Robb Field.
All week long Shippensburg University rugby coach Dan Roth stressed to his team the importance of defensive patience. The Raider’s rugby sevens team hosted its annual tournament on Saturday, April 4, and had to be at their best to compete with conference leaders like Saint Joseph’s University and West Virginia University. Shippensburg powered its way to a fourth-place finish at the event behind solid passing, communication on defense and hard tackling. “Staying in support, filling the holes and communicating well on defense,” senior captain Dale Hoover said.
Shippensburg University men’s outdoor track almost broke several school records, and the women’s squad set a number of personal records to highlight the team’s Friday performance at the Colonia Relays from The College of William & Mary. For the men, senior Peter Gelston won the 3000-meter steeplechase finishing one-tenth of a second shy of the school record with a time of 9:03.76.
The Shippensburg University lacrosse team was unable to stop an offensive onslaught by the Gannon University Golden Knights on Saturday, dropping the PSAC matchup 18-11 from their home field. SU (3-8, 1-5) got hat tricks from seniors Sheila Johnson and Courtney Kennedy, but the strong performances were unable to keep the Red Raiders in the game. Gannon (5-6, 2-4) took a slim 9-6 lead into halftime, but were able to begin pulling away as the Red Raiders turnovers continued to pile up in the second half.
Pitching was the story on Saturday as Shippensburg’s Marcus Shippey and Gabe Mosser combine for 23 strikeouts in the double-header against Kutztown.
A 13-4 run differential through two games against a team tied for second in PSAC play in win percentage could be considered a statement. The Shippensburg University softball team rode strong pitching from senior Liz Parkins and four runs off of homers to sweep 18-8 West Chester in double-header action on Friday afternoon from Robb Field.
Men: The Shippensburg University Men’s Track & Field team set several league-best marks when it competed at the Maryland Invitational at the University of Maryland on Saturday. Senior Grant Smith made his season debut after redshirting during the winter campaign, and threw for a mark that is currently top 3 in the NCAA in shotput.
The Shippensburg University women’s lacrosse team took on PSAC powerhouse Seton Hill University on Friday afternoon, and despite an early goal the Raiders fell to the Griffins, 17-5. Shippensburg (2-6, 0-3) jumped out to an early lead when freshman Sarah McLeod notched her lone goal just less than seven minutes into the game.
As any one of the six Shippensburg University boxers will tell you, it all comes down to the trip to Sunrise, Florida. Twelve meets throughout the season and a solid performance two weekends ago at regionals brings the Raider squad face-to-face with the best college boxers in the United States on April 10-12 at the Collegiate Boxing Association’s National Championships in Florida.
The Shippensburg University baseball team split a double-header on Friday against the East Stroudsburg Warriors, winning the opener 10-3 and dropping the evening-game 19-6 in a pair of showdowns at Fairchild field. The Raiders (10-14, 6-4 PSAC East) smacked five home runs and totaled 16 runs to go along with 23 hits on the day. Due to inclement weather, Friday’s double-header marked the 12th and 13 consecutive home games for Shippensburg.
Wise words of advice from 10-year Shippensburg University head coach Dave Osanitsch on the eve of his team’s trip to the 2015 NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field National Championships sum up the mentality that the Raider squad used to find success throughout their 2014-15 campaign.
Late-game heroics on defense and offense for the Shippensburg University women’s lacrosse team set them up for an 11-7 comeback win over Chestnut Hill on Tuesday afternoon from Robb Sports Complex.
Down 4-1 with a nation of Division II wrestling fans watching, Shippensburg University’s 149 pounder Cameron Throckmorton twisted out of the grasp of his opponent, gaining control for the reversal. With five seconds to go in the first period the junior landed a takedown that pinned Central Oklahoma’s Spencer Rutherford on his back, earning Throckmorton the come-from-behind victory.
The SU Women’s Softball team opened PSAC East play by splitting a doubleheader against the rival Bloomsburg Huskies (6-6, 1-1).
