Shippensburg University softball ended a solid week of play, going 4-2 with solid hitting, pitching and defense.

The week’s action kicked off on a high note for Shippensburg, as the Raiders dominated their home turf against Mansfield with an impressive offensive performance. 

Mansfield opened the scoring on an RBI single by senior Fallon Kelly, but Shippensburg quickly answered back in the bottom of the first when sophomore Kaitlyn Martell scored on a wild pitch.

The Raiders had an incredible second inning, scoring 10 runs. The scoring spree started when senior Alyssa Nehlen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring freshman Reaghan Bauman. 

The score was 11-1 after a double by junior Katelyn Minney and a throwing error by Mansfield scored three runs. Shippensburg won Game 1 14-1 after five innings.

The potent offense prevailed in Game 2. The matchup started with a grand slam by freshman Brie Wilmont, who tallied her fifth home run of the year. She finished the day with three hits. 

The Raiders had a dominant first couple of innings offensively, scoring six in the first and four in the second. Freshman Madalyn Dyer and junior Katelyn Minney combined for six strikeouts and one earned run in five innings. Shippensburg won Game 2 11-1.

The winning streak extended to eight games on Friday when the team won a doubleheader sweep against the visiting West Chester Golden Rams. The first game started with a two-run home run by Caitlyn Martell. Shippensburg had a productive second inning, scoring five runs, including a three-run shot by senior Morgan Lindsay.

Outside of allowing two earned runs in the third, Alicia Ball had another solid performance and pitched six innings. This moved her season record to 12-1.

Shippensburg ended the game in the sixth inning with a two-run home run by freshman Sarah Sabocsik to secure the 11-2 win.

Game 2 saw excellent pitching and defense in a low-scoring matchup. The game remained scoreless until Shippensburg took a 1-0 lead following a throwing error by West Chester, allowing senior Taylor Myers to score. 

In the fifth inning, Katelyn Minney extended the Raiders’ lead with a booming home run to center field, bringing the score to 2-0. Shippensburg’s defense was excellent and was highlighted by a diving catch by Sarah Sabocsik in left field.

Freshman pitcher Madalyn Dyer entered the sixth inning with a scoreless outing until a West Chester home run and a sacrifice fly put two runs on the board for the Golden Rams. Katelyn Minney was brought in for the save and to shut the door on West Chester. Shippensburg won Game 2 4-2.

After the game, coach Ally Van Scyoc said, “It’s about talking through things with a realistic approach: being prepared for their pitchers, who we are going to face, talking about their offensive lineup.”

After two wins on Friday, Shippensburg traveled to Kutztown on Saturday to take on the Golden Bears for the final doubleheader of the week.

Game 1 started with Shippensburg getting on the board first with a double by Sabocsik that gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead. The score remained the same until Kutztown answered in the fourth to tie the game on a single by junior Brianna Stocklin.

Kutztown took the lead in the fifth following a Golden Bears single to put them on top 2-1. Martell then doubled to give the Raiders a 3-2 lead in the sixth. Kutztown answered back with a triple by freshman Emily Henn to retake the lead 4-3. 

The back-and-forth scoring continued when Shippensburg tied the game with a single by Alyssa Nehlen Shippensburg dropped Game 1 in the bottom of the seventh as junior Naya Darnowksi walked it off with a single. Kutztown won Game 1 5-4.

The final game of the week saw another excellent pitching performance by Madalyn Dyer. She allowed two earned runs in six innings of work. Kutztown opened the scoring on an Emily Henn double in the first. 

Shippensburg tied the game at one with a Sabocsic walk in the fourth and took the lead on a double by Caitlyn Myers in the fifth. Kutztown answered back with two home runs in the fifth to give them the lead and eventually the win. Kutztown completed the sweep with a narrow 3-2 victory.

Softball action will resume with a doubleheader against Lock Haven University on Tuesday at 2 p.m. The Raiders hold an 11-5 conference record with less than one month to go in the regular season, holding onto second place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern division.

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