Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The Shippensburg University baseball team crushed 19 runs and 24 hits on Friday afternoon from Fairchild Field but could only come away with a doubleheader split against visiting Mansfield. The Raiders cruised in the opener with a 12-5 victory but fell victim to three home runs in a 9-7 loss of Game 2.

Shippensburg (19-24, 8-6 PSAC East) smacked eight extra-base hits in the opening game, including triples from freshman Cody Kulp and senior Kasey Kuhns along with a two-run homer from junior Rick Shumway.

The Raiders fell behind 1-0 in the first inning but scored nine unanswered runs, including three in the third and five in the fourth. Sophomore Steve McCardell smacked an RBI-single in the third and in the next at-bat Kulp crushed a two-run double to give the Raiders a 4-1 lead.

After two outs on six pitches to start the bottom of the fourth, the Raiders responded with a rally that put them in control. McCardell hit a two-run double and then scored on an RBI-triple from Kulp. Kuhns then laced his triple to right field to score Kulp and then advanced home on a passed ball in the next at-bat.

An RBI-single in the fifth and Shumway's home run capped off the Raider scoring in the opener, which provide ample run support for senior Andrew Burke to earn his fifth victory of the season. He allowed four earned runs and six hits in six innings while striking out four batters.

Sophomore Kody Kibler started the second game and allowed a double on the first pitch - an omen of things to come. An RBI-groundout gave Mansfield its first run but with two outs, a single and a two-run homer gave the Mountaineers a 3-0 lead after the opening half inning.

Kibler struck out the side looking in the second inning but allowed another two-run homer in the third inning and an RBI-double that put Shippensburg in a 6-0 deficit through two-and-a-half innings.

Undaunted, the Raiders rallied to tie the score in the bottom of the third, capping off a scoring barrage with a grand slam from Kuhns that tied the score at 6-6. A McCardell RBI-single and a bases-loaded walk from Kulp opened the scoring in the inning before Kuhns' monster shot over the right-center field fence.

Mansfield (16-24, 4-10 PSAC East) did not leave the bats in the rack, however, re-taking the lead in the fifth. After Matt Young hit a skittish ball down the right-field line that the field umpire ruled fair and resulted in a double, two groundballs advanced the run home to give the Mountaineers a 7-6 lead.

In the sixth, Kibler got the first two outs but plunked the No. 9 batter with a pitch. Just two pitches later, Mansfield parked its third home run of the game over the right-field fence to establish a three-run lead. Kibler finished the start allowing seven hits and eight earned runs over six innings of work.

Junior Kevin Scholly led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a solo home run to left field, and Kulp hit a one-out single in the seventh, but the Raiders could not get any closer. Tyler Noel pitched the final two innings for Mansfield to earn his second save.

Senior Tyler Redick finished the doubleheader 5-for-8 with an RBI and four runs, while Kulp was 4-for-7 with four RBIs and three runs. McCardell was 4-for-8 with four RBIs and three runs, while Kuhns had five RBIs. The top five hitters in the Raider lineup (Redick, Shumway, McCardell, Kulp and Kuhns) went 17-for-35 in the doubleheader with 16 RBIs and 16 runs.

Shippensburg will now travel to Mansfield to face the Mountaineers in a Saturday doubleheader from Shuate Field that is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.