Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team received splendid complete-game pitching performances from sophomore Emily Estep and freshman Liz Parkins on a sun-drenched Tuesday afternoon while totaling 18 hits in a PSAC East doubleheader sweep of West Chester from Robb Field, winning both games by a 2-1 margin.

Shippensburg (11-17, 3-3 PSAC East) moved into a tie for second place in the division with East Stroudsburg by playing well in all facets of the game. SU did not commit an error in the field and made several strong defensive plays while its pitchers yielded just three extra-base hits between the two games.

Tuesday's doubleheader marks the fewest combined runs allowed by the Raiders in a PSAC Eastern Division doubleheader since recording a split at East Stroudsburg on Apr. 17, 2009, a twinbill that included a 2-1 loss and a 3-0 victory.

West Chester (19-19, 2-6 PSAC East) also got complete-game efforts from each of its pitchers but could not solve the riddle of Estep and Parkins – as the Golden Rams struck out nine times in each contest. The Golden Rams entered play on Tuesday having just scored 10 runs against defending regional champion IUP on Saturday.

Sophomore left fielder Hilary Lyons continued to make the most of her placement into the leadoff spot, going 4-for-6 in Tuesday's doubleheader while scoring one of the four Raider runs. She went 3-for-3 in Game 2, singling in each of her first three plate appearances before providing a crucial sacrifice bunt in the seventh inning that prefaced the game-winning hit.

Freshman Taylor Weisman provided that game-winning hit, lacing a ball over the left-fielder's head that plated freshman Tyler Thompson. Weisman doubled in Lyons in the fifth inning for SU's first run of the nightcap and finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate. Thompson singled to lead off the seventh and was 3-for-5 in the doubleheader.

Shippensburg will continue its stretch of four home doubleheaders in eight days when it hosts PSAC Eastern Division rival Millersville at 2:30 p.m. Friday from Robb Field. SU softball will be holding its third annual Strike Out Breast Cancer event at the doubleheader and encourages all fans to wear pink to the games. All proceeds raised at the games will benefit the American Cancer Society.

Game 1: Shippensburg 2, West Chester 1

The Golden Rams got their only run of the game in the first inning, as designated player Kelly Anderson tomahawked a 1-1 pitch over the left-field fence. Estep soon got in the zone, however, retiring 12 of the next 14 batters she faced.

Freshman Maddie Justice provided the first of her two hits in the opening game by lacing a double into the left-center field gap to start the second inning. Justice eventually scored via station-to-station softball, advancing one base on consecutive groundouts by sophomore Rachel Shumway and freshman Jessie Trammell.

Justice and Trammell each went 2-for-3 at the plate in the opening game.

The Raiders got the eventual winning run in the fourth inning. Senior catcher Meg Lehman led off with a single and was on second base with two outs before Shumway singled through the left side to bring her home. Trammell and Thompson each followed with singles to load the bases, but a lineout ended the inning with SU up 2-1.

Estep had to work out of a jam in the top of the seventh to get her team-leading fourth victory of the season. After allowing a leadoff double to cleanup hitter Nicole Cruts, Estep hunkered down and struck out the side – all swinging – to end the game. She allowed just one walk and three hits in her fifth complete game of the season.

Game 2: Shippensburg 2, West Chester 1

The Golden Rams again scored the first run of the game, this time in the second inning. Center fielder Megan Kelly beat out an infield single with two outs before stealing second and third base and then scored on an infield single by Jessica Russ.

Despite the run, Liz Parkins was most impressive in making just her fifth start of the season. She struck out a career-high nine batters and retired 13 of the final 14 Golden Rams that she faced. Other than a sixth-inning double, Parkins allowed just five singles and did not walk a batter.

SU got on the board in the fifth with Weisman's RBI-double after Lyons led off the frame with a single and Lehman sacrificed her into scoring position.

The decisive seventh inning featured a Thompson single, a Lyons sacrifice bunt and a single from Lehman before Weisman provided the game-winning hit.