Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team opened PSAC Eastern Division play on the road Friday afternoon, dropping a pair of games to Kutztown from North Campus Field by scores of 7-0 and 2-1 (11 innings). SU will host Kutztown at 1 p.m. Saturday in a doubleheader from Fairchild Field to finish the four-game series.

Shippensburg (12-9, 0-2 PSAC East) managed just seven hits in 18 innings of play – as Golden Bear starters Dominick Ruscitti and Damon Valloreo combined to yield just one unearned run and five hits in 10.1 innings of work. The KU bullpen pitched 7.2 shutout innings of relief between the two games.

However, the Raiders had their chances offensively but stranded nine runners in the opening game and 12 more in the nightcap. SU also managed to draw an impressive 15 walks in the doubleheader.

Freshman Cody Ezolt was the only SU player to record multiple hits on the day; he earned the start at first base in Game 2 and went 2-for-4 with a walk.

Save for one tough patch in the second inning of the opener, the SU pitchers allowed just four earned runs in 16 innings of work.

Game 1: Kutztown 7, Shippensburg 0

Kutztown capitalized on dings and dents and a couple of Shippensburg errors to build its seven-run advantage after just two innings. In the first, Matt Albaugh plated one run on an infield hit to third base. On the same play, an errant throw allowed a second runner to score – giving Kutztown a 2-0 lead after one.

In the decisive second inning, the Golden Bears loaded the bases with two outs on two walks (one intentional) and a catcher's interference play. A hit by pitch, two-run single up the middle, infield hit to shortstop and single to left field resulted in five runs (four earned) off senior Nick Umberger. Overall, Umberger threw four innings, allowing seven hits and striking out three.

SU managed just two hits in the contest but drew six walks. The Raiders had at least one runner in scoring position in four of the seven innings, including the bases loaded in the sixth, but could not scratch a run across home plate.

Junior catcher Tyler Shover and sophomore designated hitter Kyle Hollingsworth were each 1-for-2 with a walk at the plate.

Freshman Nick Massetti made his Raider debut and pitched two shutout innings of relief, allowing two hits and striking out two.

Game 2: Kutztown 2, Shippensburg 1 (11)

SU plated an unearned run in the second inning and KU had a RBI-single in the fourth inning to account for all of the game's scoring until the bottom of the 11th inning. Brett Hauck led off the frame with a leadoff double and eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk with one out on a full-count pitch.

Sophomore Pat Kregeloh was dominant in his second collegiate start, allowing just one earned run and six hits in seven innings of work – striking out seven hitters. He walked just two. In his two collegiate starts (both against PSAC schools), Kregeloh has given up just two earned runs in 14 innings while striking out 11. 

Sophomore Austin Bartley also threw well in relief. Bartley allowed just one infield single through three shutout innings of relief before Kutztown won the game in the 11th. He recorded one strikeout and allowed just the one run.

Junior Simon Beloff, senior Eric Herman and junior Tyler Basso each contributed singles. Basso scored the lone Raider run.