Red Raider Baseball Notches Sweep over Millersville in Home Opener
Mar. 27, 2007
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Despite playing for
the first time in 15 days, the Shippensburg Red Raider baseball team showed
no signs of rust as it dealt Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
foe Millersville a pair of lopsided defeats and earned first-year head
coach Matt Jones his first victories at Fairchild Field.
Prior to the game, Shippensburg President Dr. William Ruud threw out
the ceremonial first pitch. Shippensburg also unveiled new home uniforms
featuring red lettering, red trim and red hats.
Shippensburg (7-10) was originally scheduled to make its home debut on Mar. 3, but weather has postponed or cancelled eight home games during the month. But on Tuesday, Shippensburg didn't dissapoint its home fans, pounding out 18 hits and 11 runs in the two games, while limiting Millersville (2-17) to just seven hits and one run. The sweep boosts Ship's winning streak to four games.
In the opener, Shippensburg senior Frank D'Agostino (Pine Grove/Pine Grove) tossed 4.2 innings of shutout baseball and limited the Marauders to just three hits and struck out six to earn his first victory of the season. Sophomore Matt Wright (McClure/Mid-West) entered in the fifth and surrendered just one hit over 2.1 innings of work to earn his second career save.
Millersville starter Andrew Clemens matched D'Agostino until junior Justin Garber (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) and senior Scott Goss (Johnstown/Westmont Hilltop) delivered back-to-back doubles to give Ship a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. One batter later, sophomore Jason Kelly (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin) doubled into left field and plating Goss for a 2-0 edge.
The Red Raiders kept the offensive rolling in the fifth with a leadoff single from senior Brandon White (State College/State College). Sophomore Scott Stern (Martinsburg/Central) singled into left, and with two outs, Garber ripped a two-run triple to give Ship all the run support it would need.
Clemens exited after 4.2 innings, but suffered the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits.
Garber, Stern and Kelly all finished the contest with a pair of hits.
The theme of stellar pitching continued in the nightcap for Shippensburg as senior Nathan Jones (Lititz/Warwick) took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and picked up his first win of the season after blanking the Marauders through five innings and giving up just one hit.
Jones's outing, coupled with a 4-for-4 performance from sophomore Tyler Redick (Fairfield/Walkersville (Md.)), paved the way to a 7-1 Shippensburg win. Redick also scored once and drove in a run. Goss went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs, as well.
Shippensburg's offense, helped by three Millersville errors, pushed five runs across the board in the third inning. Millersville used five pitchers and committed as many errors in the game.
The Red Raiders travel to West Chester for a nine-inning contest Wed., Mar. 28. The squad also opens PSAC Western Division play on Friday at Clarion and are scheduled for a home twinbill against Clarion on Sat., Mar. 31.
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