WINGATE, N.C. – Heartbreak beset the Shippensburg University baseball team for the second straight game, as SU's two-run rally in the top of the ninth inning on Sunday was answered by the hosts with a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth; resulting in an 8-7 road loss for the Raiders at the hands of the Wingate Bulldogs.

Shippensburg (0-3) trailed 6-5 entering the top of the ninth inning and faced the prospect of trying to score against Bulldog closer Justin Somers, who struck out the side in last night's game. Junior Cody Kulp opened the inning with a shot down the left-field line that put him on second base.

With one out, senior Jesse Smith smacked a double down the right-field line to plate Kulp and tie the score at 6-6. After a groundout, junior Tyler Uphouse pinch hit and reached on a throwing error by the third baseman that allowed Smith to score. SU took a 7-6 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Wingate (4-0) seemed to play its best baseball this weekend when it faced the most adversity. In its final at-bat, the Bulldogs got a man to second base with one out before back-to-back walks loaded the bases against junior reliever Kody Kibler. In a bases-loaded situation, Wingate shortstop Chris Vazquez ripped a double that plated the game-tying and game-winning runs in walk-off fashion.

Sunday's game was a see-saw affair, as the lead exchanged hands several times. SU scored the first run of the game in the first inning with an RBI-single by Kulp; Wingate scored twice in the bottom of the second, and the Raiders tied the game at 2-2 in the third inning with a bases-loaded walk by sophomore catcher Steve Sulcoski.

Trailing 5-3 in the sixth inning, SU tied the score with a sacrifice fly by junior Ben Miller and another RBI-single by Kulp. Wingate scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to set up the heart-wrenching conclusion.

Ben Miller and junior Eric Herman each had three hits in the contest and combined to score three runs. The four hitters in the lineup combined for nine hits, four RBIs and five runs scored. In three games this weekend, Herman was 6-for-9 at the plate with four runs scored.

Junior Jimmy Miller got the start for the Raiders on Sunday, striking out two batters in 4.2 innings of work. Sophomore Tom Bush yielded one run in three innings of relief work.

Next weekend, Shippensburg travels to No. 23 Catawba for a three-game series with the Indians.