Box score

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - Shippensburg received five scoreless innings from its bullpen as the Red Raiders claimed a 5-4 victory over West Chester in the title game of the NCAA Division II North Atlantic Region Championship.

North Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year Matt Wright escaped a bases-loaded jam when he came into the game in the fifth inning and went on to toss four scoreless frames. Tournament MVP Tyler Redick came in from rightfield to record the final three outs for only his second save of the season.

Shippensburg (38-24) plated what would turn out to be the game-winning run in the sixth inning. Sean Killian drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on an Eric Dezell sacrifice. Killian moved up to third on a single by Justin Garber and would eventually score on a wild pitch from WCU hurler Chris Caldwell.

The Red Raiders grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Garber doubled and scored on a Redick single. West Chester responded with a pair of runs in their half of the first. Drew Pare and Frank Nunan delivered RBI singles for the Golden Rams.

It didn't take the Red Raiders long to knot the score at 2-2. A trio of walks paired with a Kyle Rhoades sacrifice fly brought home Killian with the tying run.

Both teams notched two-run fifth innings. Shippensburg grabbed a momentary 4-2 lead as Rick Shumway executed a squeeze play to score Rhoades and an Ashton Taughinbaugh ground out plated Redick.

West Chester benefited from run-scoring singles by Kyle Bechter and Matt Cotellese in the fifth inning. However, Wright would escape a no-out, bases-loaded jam with a pair of strikeouts and a Nunan ground out.

The Golden Rams (45-16) threatened in their final at-bat in the ninth. Blair Dameron drew a leadoff walk, but was retired at second on Brandon Wolfe's fielder's choice.  Bechter hit into another fielder's choice as Wolfe was retired for the second out.

Nick Spisak extended the game with a single to center, but Cotellese was fanned by Redick to end the West Chester season.

Shippensburg will now face West Region champion Sonoma State on Saturday, May 24 in the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Illinois, home of the Frontier League's Gateway Grizzlies.

All-Tournament Team
C - Brandon Wolfe (West Chester)
1B - Kevin Scholly (Shippensburg)
2B - Kyle Rhoades (Shippensburg)
3B - James Quigley (Kutztown)
SS - Nick Spisak (West Chester)
OF - Tyler Redick (Shippensburg)
OF - Justin Garber (Shippensburg)
OF - Matt Cotellese (West Chester)
DH - Ashton Taughinbaugh (Shippensburg)
P - Jon Moore (Pitt Johnstown)
P - Matt Wright (Shippensburg)

Most Valuable Player: Tyler Redick (Shippensburg)