SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Seven Raider runs in Game 1 were more than enough support for a three-hit effort from freshman Mark Curtis on Saturday afternoon vs. West Chester as the Shippensburg University baseball team won the opener 7-1 before dropping the nightcap 4-3 to split a PSAC East doubleheader from Fairchild Field.
 
Shippensburg (24-16, 11-13 PSAC East) totaled 16 hits – including 10 in Game 1 – but was plagued by eight runners left on base in Game 2 against the rival Golden Rams (23-13, 15-9) in a matchup of the last two NCAA Atlantic Region champions.
 
Curtis improved to 4-0 as he gave up one run with three strikeouts in his first start in 17 days. Sophomore Thomas Swartz and freshman Josh Kutchey each pitched in relief in both games, with Swartz throwing 2.2 innings and Kutchey giving up one hit in two innings.
 
Sophomore Rich Michaud earned the Game 2 start and pitched into the fourth inning, giving up three runs with four strikeouts and no walks for the no-decision.
 
Senior Austin Bartley pitched a spotless final inning of Game 2, giving him sole possession of the PSAC record for career appearances with 77.
 
Sophomore shortstop Mike Marcinko drove in four runs and senior third baseman Cal Hogan went 3-for-6 while five other Raiders totaled two hits each. Junior right fielder Austin Allison scored four runs on the day.
 
Shippensburg will host Wilmington (Del.) on Monday afternoon for a 1 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.
 
Game 1: Shippensburg 7, West Chester 1
 
After West Chester's lone run of the game came in the top of the second, Shippensburg managed to plate runs in each of the next four innings – including two runs apiece in the second, fourth and fifth frames.
 
Marcinko drew a bases-loaded walk for an RBI in the second, followed by a fielder's choice RBI by senior center fielder Michael Douglas. Junior left fielder Cody Ezolt led off the third with his seventh home run of the season, to left-center.
 
After a first-pitch, leadoff double to left-center by freshman Matt Osenbach in the fourth, Douglas singled up the middle before junior second baseman Jimmy Spanos singled to center to score Osenbach. After a passed ball moved Douglas and Spanos up a base and opened first, West Chester intentionally walked Ezolt, but the third ball sailed high over the catcher's head and allowed Douglas to score from third for a 5-1 lead.
 
Hogan led off the fifth with a single through the left side, stole second and scored on a triple to deep center field off the bat of Allison, who recorded his first career three-bagger and scored two batters later on a Marcinko sacrifice fly to left.
 
Game 2: West Chester 4, Shippensburg 3
 
SU scored twice in the second with a bases-loaded two-run single to center field courtesy of Marcinko. West Chester took the lead in the top fourth with three runs on five hits before SU tied it at 3-3 in the bottom half of the frame with a Spanos sacrifice fly to left field.
 
West Chester scored the eventual go-ahead run in the top of the fifth with an RBI bunt single two batters following a triple to center field.