Shippensburg University baseball went 1-2 over three games this week, falling to Pitt-Johnstown on Tuesday before splitting a Sunday doubleheader against No. 15 East Stroudsburg. 

Shippensburg moved to 19-13 while Pitt-Johnstown moved to 9-21.

In Tuesday’s game, SU freshman Cole Snyder kept the Mountain Cats scoreless in the first four innings in his first career start.

 While sophomore Caleb Newcomer tied it up in the seventh inning for his first career home run, Pitt-Johnstown closed the game out strong with three runs scored in the eight to hand the Raiders a frustrating loss. 

UPJ’s Roman Donis finished the game for the Mountain Cats after pitching the final 2.2 innings in relief.

Senior Carter Hinds and freshman Kyle Ausgotharp, and Newcomer led the Raiders batting with Ausgotharp, having 3 hits and a pair of RBIs. 

Hinds and Newcomer hit a combined 4-6, four runs scored and RBI but ultimately came up short. 

Sunday’s doubleheader against No. 15 East Stroudsburg (25-6) resulted in a split of 1-1 in a defensive battle. 

Senior Jaxon Delena pitched the whole seven innings while only giving up two runs scored in the third.

Shippensburg took an early 2-0 lead in the second with a homerun by freshman Mason Morris, his fourth of the season. 

Carter Arbuthnot came home as well thanks to a Morris RBI. East Stroudsburg responded in the third with two runs scored. Warriors’ Dennis Pierce hit a home run out of left field with Connor Reilly on base to tie the score.

The Raiders regained control in the 5th, with AJ Wenrich getting on base with a single, bringing home Gio Calamia. 

Not much later, Arbuthnot flew out in right field, bringing Wenrich home to expand the lead to two runs. 

Jaxon Delena’s strong pitching performance had the Raiders in a position to win from the jump. 

Being able to stay composed throughout the whole seven innings with 102 pitches thrown is not easy but rather a mental game. 

“I was just trying to focus on my breathing and stay calm,” Delena said. 

“Sometimes, you get rattled, but I know I have my defense around me.”

Game two was controlled by the Warriors. 

The game was scoreless in the first two innings until East Stroudsburg had eight runs scored between the fourth and fifth innings.

Chaise Albus started off the Warriors with a double to center field, bringing home Dennis Pierce and advancing Shanley Wall to third. 

Warriors Jack Rothenhaulser had two home runs along with five RBIs on the day. 

Shippensburg had a tough second game hitting, only recording five hits with 27 at bats. 

As of writing, the ESU series was set to conclude with a Monday doubleheader. 

A weekend series with Mansfield follows, featuring home games on Saturday at 1 and 3:30 p.m.

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