Game 1
Game 2

MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - The Shippensburg softball team capped off its second sweep against a PSAC Eastern Division opponent in the last five days with two victories over the Marauders on Wednesday afternoon that moved the Lady Raiders within two games of second-place Bloomsburg.

Shippensburg (26-18, 9-7 PSAC East) received marvelous pitching performances from senior Dani Shields and junior Lori Knopf, who each pitched complete games and allowed just one run. In four victories over Millersville this season, the Lady Raiders have held the Marauders to just five runs in 28 innings.

Offensively, freshman Moira Johnsen drove in the winning run in both games. In Game 1, Johnsen  singled and scored the first run of the game on an error by pitcher Janelle Mrakovich in the second inning and then followed in the third inning with her first career home run.

The round tripper held up for the duration of the game, as Shields struck out nine and scattered seven hits in recording her most punch-outs in a game since last year's regular season finale against the Marauders, a span of 17 starts.

In Game 2, Shippensburg once again opened the scoring when senior Liz Good singled home freshman Jill Mullan, who led off the third with a single and a stolen base. Johnsen hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth that plated senior Sarah Stengl, who doubled to lead off the inning.

The Lady Raiders had to survive a late rally from Millersville in the bottom of the seventh to earn their victory. Casey Coker led off the Marauder half of the inning by reaching on an error by sophomore Oceanna DeBaro that was one of two in the frame and four in the game for Shippensburg.

Following two groundouts, Maria Polyak hit a ball to center field that was misplayed by junior Chelsea Carson and allowed Coker to score. Knopf responded by striking out Sarah Ernesto to end the game. The junior hurler allowed just three hits for her eighth victory of the season and struck out four batters.

Also on Wednesday, Bloomsburg split a doubleheader with East Stroudsburg, leaving the Huskies with a 9-5 conference record. Bloomsburg will have a road doubleheader at Kutztown on Friday before taking on the Lady Raiders from Jan Hutchinson Field on Saturday in a doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m.