BELMONT, N.C. – The Shippensburg University baseball team posted a split in its 2016 Opening Day doubleheader on Friday, achieving a 1-0 victory over host Belmont Abbey in Game 2 after dropping its season opener to the Crusaders, 7-3.
 
Shippensburg (1-1) got the lone run of Game 2 with a two-out rally in the fourth inning. Sophomore Dalton Hoiles doubled, and was then plated in the ensuing at-bat by sophomore second baseman Nick Spangler.
 
It was all the run support that junior captain Mark Curtis would need. Curtis threw six shutout innings and scattered four hits, striking out four to pick up the victory. He finished his day by striking out, Lorenzo Wright, the opposing No. 2 hitter, looking, to cap off an eight-pitch at-bat.     
 
Junior closer Josh Kutchey worked the seventh to earn the save. He allowed just a one-out single.
 
It was a great day for Spring Grove High school alumni. Hoiles was 3-for-3 in Game 2, including two doubles, and finished with four hits, two runs and a stolen base on the day. Spangler was 3-for-5 with a walk, two RBIs and a run. The duo combined for seven of SU's 10 hits in the doubleheader.     
 
Senior Marcus Shippey took the loss in Game 1, working three innings in the opener. Freshman Zack Sims and redshirt-freshman Tyler Butcher both made their collegiate debuts in Game 1; Sims allowed an unearned run in two innings, while Butcher pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout.  
 
Among the numerous defensive highlights on the day included a web gem by junior Ryan McMillen, who made a back-handed play on a rocket deep at third base during Game 1 to throw out Nunziato.
 
Belmont Abbey (3-2-1) scored three runs in each of the first two innings of the opener, including a three-run home run by their cleanup hitter, Nick Nunziato. Tyler Byrnes allowed one earned run in six innings for the win.  
 
The games were played on a frigid day, with temperatures hovering around 35 degrees for the majority of the afternoon. Snow flurries were falling right before the first pitch and stayed intermittent throughout the first game.
 
Shippensburg is set to face Wingate at noon tomorrow in a doubleheader with the Bulldogs.