SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team split a pair of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division games with East Stroudsburg on Friday, winning the opener 10-3 before dropping the nightcap 19-6 on a chilly afternoon at Fairchild Field.
 
Shippensburg (10-14, 6-4 PSAC East) hit five home runs on the day and totaled 16 runs on 23 hits and four errors while East Stroudsburg (14-6, 5-5) compiled 22 runs on 24 hits without an error.
 
Friday's doubleheader marked the 12th and 13th consecutive home games for the Raiders as a result of inclement weather and poor field conditions throughout the PSAC over the past couple of weeks.
 
Senior Cody Ezolt had a monster day at the plate, going 5-for-7 with two home runs, two doubles and three RBIs.
 
Sophomore Jake Kennedy finished 3-for-8 with two home runs, four RBIs and three runs. The two homers Friday bring his season total to 11, tying him for the most in the PSAC.
 
Shippensburg and East Stroudsburg are scheduled to play on Sunday at a site to be determined.
 
Game 1
 
Shippensburg allowed two runs in the top of the first inning but responded with two runs in each of the second and third innings en route to a 10-3 victory in Game 1 over the Warriors.
 
Senior Cody Ezolt drilled a two-run home run to left-center field in the second inning to even the score at 2-2.
 
In the third inning, senior Jimmy Spanos singled home junior Austin Allison and junior Mike Marcinko to put SU up 4-2.
 
The Raiders exploded for six runs in the sixth to secure the victory.
 
Junior Marcus Shippey picked up his second victory of the season after notching 10 strikeouts in a complete-game effort. He allowed three runs on four hits and walked two. Friday marked Shippey's second straight double-digit strikeout performance and complete game.
 
Game 2
 
The Raiders scored six runs over the final four innings in the nightcap but could not keep pace with East Stroudsburg as the Warriors scored four runs in each of the final two innings to secure a 19-6 victory.
 
ESU led 4-0 after three but scored seven in the top of the fourth before the Raiders could get on the board.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Ezolt hit his second round tripper of the afternoon before freshman Nick Spangler singled to right center to score freshman Dalton Hoiles.
 
Kennedy and sophomore Ryan McMillen blasted home runs in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, as Hoiles and junior Austin Allison also picked up one RBI apiece in Game 2.
 
Junior Rich Michaud was the starter and pitched two innings, allowing four runs (three earned) and six hits. Sophomore Josh Kutchey was one of six relievers; he allowed an unearned run in 1.1 innings of work.