SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team showed its resiliency on a gorgeous Friday afternoon from Fairchild Field, using strong starts from sophomore Tom Bush and junior Nick Umberger to defeat Bloomsburg, 7-6 and 3-2.

Bush and Umberger pitched into the seventh inning before the bullpen was able to shut the door in both games. Junior Kody Kibler needed just four pitches to get the last out of the first game and junior Ted Williams got the final out of the second game. It was the first save of the season for both pitchers.

Shippensburg (9-11, 2-0 PSAC East) opened conference play with a flourish in the first game. SU chased Bloomsburg starter Howie Deemer before he recorded an out - junior Eric Herman and sophomore Sam Phillips drew four-pitch walks before junior Ben Miller laced a 3-1 pitch over the left-field fence for his first home run of the season. A two-base error by the left fielder and a hit batsman on a 1-2 pitch sent Deemer to the dugout.

Husky reliever Mike Rossetti was tasked with throwing strikes – and the ensuing SU batters took advantage. Freshman Pat Kregeloh and sophomore Steve Sulcoski delivered RBI singles to put the Raiders up by five without having recorded an out at the plate.

Bloomsburg (7-7, 0-2 PSAC East) kept fighting right down to the last out, eventually getting the tying run to second base in its final at-bat. Bush was splendid through six innings and ultimately improved his record to 3-0, but ran into trouble after striking out the leadoff man in the seventh. He gave up a single and walked the next two batters – his only two free passes of the day - before being replaced by junior Jimmy Miller.

A bases-loaded walk and an RBI-groundout made the score 7-4, but Jerry Lloyd kept the momentum going with a two-run single that brought the Huskies within one run. Another single chased Miller, but Kibler came in and got Vince Smarelli to pop up which ended the game.

SU answered a second-inning run by Bloomsburg in the second game with two of its own. Junior Tyler Uphouse hit a high fly ball that took off in the wind and befuddled the left fielder – sailing over his head for a leadoff double. With one out, Uphouse moved to third on a wild pitch and scored after Sulcoski grounded out. Senior Kris Kullman reached after the second baseman booted a routine grounder and then scored on a gapper by senior AJ Czap.

In the third, Uphouse ripped an RBI-single up the middle to plate Phillips. Uphouse was 3-for-3 at the plate in the second game while Phillips was 3-for-4. Kregeloh and Czap also finished with two hits each. SU got three runs and 11 hits against Bloomsburg junior Vinny Voorhees, who two years as a freshman threw a 3-hit shutout in a 1-0 win at Shippensburg.

Umberger gave up one run through the first six innings and thrived by throwing 71 of his 107 pitches for strikes. His work in the third inning was particularly impressive. After allowing back-to-back singles that put runners on first and third, Umberger struck out the No. 3 hitter, got the cleanup batter to pop up weakly to second base, and ultimately escaped the inning unscathed with a groundout after a hit batter.

The seventh inning was once again filled with suspense. With two outs, Lloyd nudged an RBI-single to center field that got the Huskies within a run and brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate. Williams came in and needed just two pitches to preserve Umberger's third win of the season.

On Saturday, Shippensburg will play two at Bloomsburg. The doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m.