Shippensburg Splits PSAC West Doubleheader with IUP
April 7, 2007
SHIPPENBURG, Pa. - The Shippensburg University baseball team remained in a three-way tie for first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division with Slippery Rock and Indiana (Pa.) after splitting a doubleheader with IUP on a cold and windy afternoon at Fairchild Field.
While the Red Raiders (14-12, 4-2 PSAC West) led as much 5-0 in game one, the IUP Crimson Hawks (13-19, 4-2 PSAC West) charged back and notched a 7-6 win with a seventh-inning rally. Ship, though, would bounce back in game two with a complete-game effort from sophomore Matt Wright (McClure/Mid-West) to salvage the split by a score of 8-1.
Wright (3-1) notched his third complete game of the season after allowing just one run and five hits while fanning eight batters in seven innings. In two starts against PSAC Western Division opponents this season, he has thrown two complete games, allowed two earned runs, and struck out 14 batters. As a freshman in 2006, he was 5-0 with four complete games and a 0.84 ERA in PSAC West games.
Offensively, the Red Raiders were led by sophomore Tyler Redick (Fairfield/Walkersville (Md.)), who went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. At day's end, Redick, who also recorded a hit and RBI in game one, had extended his hitting streak to 10 games. During the streak, Redick is hitting 17-for-31 with 12 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
Senior Jared Boger (Lebanon/Cedar Crest) also chipped in two hits, a run and an RBI in game two. In game two alone, seven different Red Raiders tallied RBIs.
IUP's Dan Snyder suffered the loss after tossing five innings and allowing six runs on six hits.
Ship's solid performance in the nightcap was crucial, considering the loss suffered in the opener. The Red Raiders jumped out to an early advantage following a three-run second inning and a two-run third inning.
Senior starter Ross Buckwalter (Ephrata/Ephrata) kept IUP off the board until the fifth inning, when the Crimson Hawks cut into the lead with three runs on three hits. In the sixth, IUP knotted the game at five, but it was a Shippensburg fielding error with two outs that allowed the game-tying run to cross the plate.
The Shippensburg offense answered in the bottom of the inning. Junior Eric Dezell (Bel Air, Md./John Carroll) singled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt by Redick. With two outs, junior Justin Garber (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) blooped a single into center, giving Ship a 6-5 edge.
But in the top of the seventh, IUP filled the bases against junior reliever Kyle Warner (Berrysburg/Upper Dauphin) and Kyle Stryker's single through the left side of the infield scored the game-tying and go-ahead runs.
IUP's Colby Betz came on in relief of Chris Twigg in the seventh and recorded two strikeouts to earn the save. Twigg earned the mound win despite allowing six runs on 10 hits in six innings. Warner (0-2) suffered the loss.
Buckwalter pitched well in a no decision effort, allowing five runs, four earned through six innings.
Leading Ship at the plate in game one was Dezell, who went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a career-high three RBIs. Sophomore Kasey Kuhns (Three Springs/Southern Huntingdon) also totaled two hits, two runs and an RBI.
Shippensburg returns to action on Monday at Indiana (Pa.), pending the condition of the field. If the field is unplayable, the Red Raiders will host Columbia Union for a doubleheader at Fairchild Field.
For schedule changes and updates, check the Shippensburg athletic website, raiders.ship.edu, or call the sports hotline at 717-477-7678.
- Red Raider Baseball -
