SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team won its third divisional series of the season on a sunny Tuesday afternoon from Fairchild Field and maintained second place in the PSAC East by winning the first game of its doubleheader against East Stroudsburg, 4-1. The Warriors won the nightcap, 11-2.

Shippensburg (21-23, 11-9 PSAC East) got a strong start in the opener from sophomore Tom Bush, who allowed just one hit and one walk in four shutout innings. Bush improved his record to 6-1 and struck out three batters.

The Raiders plated three runs in the third inning to take control of the first game. Junior Ben Miller sent a hanger into left field for a double and freshman Pat Kregeloh drew a four-pitch walk to start the inning with two runners on base. Junior Tyler Uphouse laid down a sacrifice bunt that put both men in scoring position.

Shippensburg, which stranded five runners in the first two innings, improvised to score the first run of the game. Head coach Matt Jones gave the signs for a squeeze and senior Jesse Smith complied – laying down a great bunt toward third base and ultimately reached for a single that plated Miller.

Sophomore Steve Sulcoski then hammered a comebacker off the pitcher that scored Kregeloh. Smith moved to third on the play and then raced home in the next at-bat when senior Kris Kullman grounded out to first.

East Stroudsburg (22-13, 9-9 PSAC East) threatened in the sixth against junior Nick Umberger, loading the bases with one out. Jake Griesemer singled in a run to put the Warriors on the board but Umberger got cleanup hitter Brian Ernst to ground into a double play to end the inning.

SU got an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-out RBI single by Uphouse that plated Kregeloh. ESU answered by loading the bases with no outs in the seventh against junior Kody Kibler – preventing the reliever from adding to his save total.

Redshirt freshman Austin Bartley inherited the pickle but was stoic on the mound. Bartley used a splendid breaking pitch to strikeout Mark Romano, and one pitch later, induced a double-play grounder to end the game and achieve his first career save.

In the four-game series, East Stroudsburg grounded into eight double plays, four of those occurring with the bases loaded.

The Warrior bats woke up in Game 2, cranking out nine runs in the first two innings against junior Ted Williams. Bartley threw 72 pitches in relief of Williams, working four innings and striking out four. Freshman Shawn Patterson got the final five outs for the Raiders.

Sulcoski went 3-for-3 in the second game and finished the doubleheader with five hits in six at-bats. Kregeloh was 1-for-1 with three walks in the opener – reaching base in all four of his plate appearances. Ben Miller had three hits in the doubleheader while Uphouse and Smith collected a hit in both games. Smith is on a 10-game hitting streak.

On Friday, Shippensburg will host Mansfield in a 1 p.m. doubleheader from Fairchild Field. It is the final home doubleheader of the 2011 regular season. Between games, SU will honor its three seniors: Kullman, Smith and AJ Czap.