Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – With runners at the corners and one out in the top of the seventh inning, freshman center fielder Tyler Thompson caught a fly ball and sent a throw home to sophomore catcher Kirstin McClune, who laid down the tag at the plate for the final out to finish off in exciting fashion the Shippensburg University softball team's 1-0 Game 2 victory over No. 4 Kutztown on Friday afternoon to force a doubleheader split from Robb Field. The Raiders dropped Game 1 by a score of 4-2.

The Raiders' (17-23, 6-8 PSAC East) nightcap victory finished off the Golden Bears' school-record 33-game win streak and dealt KU (41-2, 13-1) its first loss to a conference team this season and its first defeat since a March 9 loss to Georgian Court.

Freshman Makenzie Lynn pitched into the seventh in Game 2 and gave up just four hits to the top team in batting average in the conference to earn her fifth win of the season. Sophomore Emily Estep earned the final two outs to nab her first save of the season.

McClune was solid behind the plate for the Raiders, throwing out three base runners on the day, including two attempting to steal second base in Game 2.

Game 2 was scoreless through four-and-a-half innings until the bottom of the fifth, when freshman first baseman Maddie Justice singled through the left side to score the eventual winning run.

Freshman Liz Parkins went the distance in Game 1 and gave up seven hits and one earned run while striking out six. Junior right fielder Kiersten Darhower drove in an RBI as part of Shippensburg's two-run second inning that gave it a 2-1 lead that it would hold until the fifth.

Shippensburg, which is currently in the third playoff spot in the division, will close out its regular season tomorrow with a road doubleheader at Millersville beginning at 1 p.m.

With one win against the Marauders, SU would leap-frog West Chester and claim the second playoff spot (by owning the tiebreaker over the Golden Rams) and put itself in prime position to lock up a playoff berth. A sweep over MU would lock up the second playoff spot.

Game 1: Kutztown 4, Shippensburg 2

Parkins struck out three of KU's first four batters of the game before giving up a solo home run with one out in the second inning. In the bottom half of the frame, sophomore second baseman Rachel Shumway led off with a double down the left field line before Justice took first base on a hit-by-pitch.

McClune then reached first on a throwing error from the catcher that allowed Shumway to score as the ball skipped into right field. Sophomore left fielder Hilary Lyons then loaded the bases with an infield single with no outs. Freshman Jordie Darchicourt then reached on a fielder's choice that got Justice thrown out at home and kept the bases loaded. Darhower then grounded into another fielder's choice that scored McClune and gave SU its 2-1 lead.

The Raiders threatened to add another run in the fourth when McClune doubled to left center field with one out. McClune's pinch runner, freshman Jess Harding, advanced to third on a groundout before another groundout ended the threat.

Kutztown leaped back out in front in the fifth, however, with three runs on three hits and two Shippensburg errors. The Raiders managed just one hit over the final three innings of the loss.

Game 2: Shippensburg 1, Kutztown 0

Lynn allowed just two hits through the first four innings as the Raiders' offense went hitless until a two-single fourth inning from freshman designated player Jessie Trammell and senior third baseman Meg Lehman. SU failed to score in the frame, but finally earned a run in the next frame.

Lyons led off with a single, advanced to second on a McClune sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a Thompson infield single. Justice's RBI single with two outs plated Lyons and proved to be the deciding run.

With SU holding onto a slim 1-0 lead, Lynn forced a lineout to start off the seventh inning before giving up a double down the left field line in the next at-bat. Estep then came in in relief for Lynn and gave up a single to right field before inducing the game-winning fly out to Thompson.