The Shippensburg University softball team dropped both games, played on Sunday after a Saturday rainout to No. 20 ranked West Chester University on a hot day at Robb Field in Shippensburg.

Shippensburg (26–21, 8–8 PSAC) closed out the regular season by dropping two close games to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) foe No. 20 West Chester (40–10, 13–3 PSAC), although the Raiders had the lead in both games entering the sixth inning.

With its record, West Chester will have the PSAC East Division’s No. 1 seed in the PSAC Tournament beginning Wednesday. SU holds the No. 3 seed in the PSAC East.

Standing out for the Raiders at the plate, on Sunday, were Chloe Collins and Tara Bicko. Collins totaled three hits, including a two-run single, and stole three bases. Bicko totaled three hits, including two doubles.

On the mound, Taryn Wilson pitched in both games. Wilson, in Game 1, gave up six unearned runs in six innings while striking out three and receiving the loss, which moved her to 11–4 on the season. In Game 2, Wilson threw three innings and gave up three earned runs.

In Game 1, West Chester used a huge sixth inning to top SU, 6–1. Shippensburg’s bats faced a tough opponent in West Chester’s Amanda Houck, who picked up her 26th win of the season. Houck held SU in check, limiting the Raiders to four hits and a lone run on an RBI double by Micaela Ghanayem.

In the sixth inning, there was a key error made in the field at second base by Maddie Mulhall with two outs in the inning. Mulhall had trouble fielding a ground ball and was not able to get the throw in time to first base, allowing one run to score. This was something that West Chester eventually capitalized on by scoring six runs in that inning.

In Game 2, West Chester was able to come from behind in its half of the seventh inning to win the game, 8–5. However, Shippensburg’s bats came alive throughout the game, as they were able to plate five runs on eight hits.

The game was scoreless until the third inning, when both teams scored some runs. West Chester started the scoring on a fielder’s choice that allowed a run to score. Another West Chester run was scored on a wild pitch by Wilson. The Golden Rams were able to score one more run that inning, on a single by Sara Ercolani.

However, SU answered back in its half of the third inning, scoring four runs and taking the lead. The scoring began for the Raiders with a two-RBI single by Collins. Shippensburg was then able to score their third run on a throwing error by West Chester Emily Maseth. Ghanayem singled in another run to give the Raiders the lead.

In the fifth inning, both teams plated a run and Shippensburg still held a one-run lead going into the sixth inning.

In the seventh inning, West Chester was able to rally back and score the winning runs. SU went through three pitchers to get through the top of the seventh inning. Collins, who was pitching in relief, gave up three runs — two of which were earned. Julia Tosti was then sent in and she gave up two runs without recording an out. Addy Szczerba came in to put out the fire, recording all three outs in the inning without allowing a run.

While SU was swept in its final doubleheader of the regular season, SU finishes 26–21, good enough for third in the PSAC East. Collins finished the season with the highest average on the team, hitting .388 on the season, with two home runs and 36 RBIs. Another standout at the plate was Bicko, who finished the season batting .333 with two home runs and 23 RBIs.

On the mound, Wilson finished the season 11-4 with a 2.54 ERA, and Nicole Smith finished the season leading the team in ERA, with a 1.92 ERA to go with a 5-5 record.

The Raiders will be playing in Game 1 of the PSAC tournament at 12 p.m. on Wednesday against Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. The Raiders return to the PSAC tournament is its first playoff appearance since 2014.

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