Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Shepherd scored 11 runs on eight hits in the top of the first inning and never looked back as the Rams snapped Shippensburg's eight-game win streak, including six consecutive against non-conference opponents with a 13-5 victory at Fairchild Field on Tuesday.

The Red Raiders (24-14) and Rams split their two-game series this season after Shippensburg won 15-12 back on March 25 at Shepherd's Fairfax Field.

In two meetings against the Red Raiders this season, Shepherd (18-14), picked to win the WVIAC Northern Division in the 2008 preseason poll by the conference coaches, totaled 25 runs on 29 hits against seven different Shippensburg pitchers.

Combined in two games, the two teams totaled 45 runs and 65 hits while using 16 pitchers.

The Rams scored four runs on three hits in the first before the Red Raiders were able to record the first out after three singles, a hit batter and two bases loaded walks. Three of Shepherd's runs came on bases loaded walks while nine were charged to Shippensburg senior Phil Harnick who was making his third start of the season.

In three starts, Harnick has allowed 15 earned runs in 4.1 innings while surrendering nine hits and seven walks.

With the Rams leading 7-0 with one out and runners on first and second, freshman Shane Barrett, who had totaled just 6.1 innings in three appearances prior to Tuesday, entered in relief of Harnick. Barrett allowed two runs on four hits before striking out Craig Martin to finally end the inning.

After the first, Barrett held Shepherd to just four hits and two runs over the next five innings before leaving the game after the sixth inning.

Working against Dirk Webb who entered the game with an 18.00 ERA in his only other appearance of the season, the Red Raider offense finally got going in the bottom of the fourth. With the Rams leading 13-0, Shippensburg scored four runs on four hits, highlighted by a solo home run by sophomore Kevin Scholly and a two-run triple by senior Eric Dezell.

In his only other start this season, Webb allowed 10 runs on 12 hits in just 3.0 innings of a 13-12 loss at home against Slippery Rock on March 3.

Webb, a senior who is a two-time All-WVIAC First Team selection and 2007 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Second Team All-North Atlantic Region selection as a designated hitter, is batting .438 with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 29 RBIs this season. He finished Tuesday's game 1-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs.

After the first inning, Shippensburg totaled five runs on 10 hits while limiting Shepherd to just two runs on five hits.

Senior Justin Garber totaled three more hits on Tuesday, going 3-for-5, and has totaled 246 for his career, just eight behind the Shippensburg all-time record. Dezell went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and Scholly and sophomore Rick Shumway each were 2-for-4.

Meanwhile, junior Kyle Rhoades was 0-for-5 and saw his career-long 15-game hitting streak come to an end, just one behind Garber's season-high and seven off the school record set by Chad Stecker '05.

Freshman Matt Emerich pitched the final three innings for the Red Raiders, allowing just one hit and striking out one.

Shippensburg must regroup quickly as the team will travel to Kutztown on Wednesday to take on the Golden Bears in a nine-inning PSAC crossover contest at North Campus Field, sight of last year's NCAA Division II North Atlantic Region Championship where the Red Raiders reached the semifinals.