SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team allowed just two runs across 14 innings Friday in a doubleheader sweep over Mansfield, 13-1 and 7-1, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup at Fairchild Field.
 
Shippensburg (14-15, 5-5 PSAC East) received outstanding pitching performances from both of its starters Friday. In Game 1, junior Mark Curtis limited the Mounties to just one earned run on seven hits in six innings of work while striking out five and walking none.
 
Curtis did not return to the mound for the seventh inning after a brief rain delay, and freshman Michael Hope finished off the victory for SU.
 
Senior Marcus Shippey was also fabulous in Game 2, throwing a complete game in which he struck out 10 batters. Shippey scattered five hits and allowed just an unearned run while throwing 91 pitches.
 
Shippey is the only member of the SU staff to have thrown multiple complete games this season. He now has seven career complete games – all within the last three seasons.
 
The Raider offense started quickly as five consecutive SU batters singled to begin the bottom of the first inning in Game 1. In all, SU sent 12 men to the plate and scored seven runs on seven hits in the first inning to afford Curtis with a solid cushion.
 
Sophomore Nick Spangler hit a two-run single in the first and then added a two-run double as part of a four-run fourth inning for SU.
 
The first three innings of Game 2 flew by without a score before SU turned to small ball in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Austin Allison led the inning off with a bunt single, and advanced to second on a throwing error.
 
Sophomore Dalton Hoiles sacrificed Allison to third with a bunt and Spangler punched a single past a drawn-in infield to put SU on the board first.
 
Freshman Tommy Baggett followed with a single on an 0-2 pitch, which was followed by the big blow – a two-run home run off the bat of junior Ryan McMillen to put the Raiders up 3-0 after four innings.
 
SU then added four unearned runs – all with two outs – in the fifth inning to pull away in Game 2.
 
The Raiders hit .443 (27-for-61) as a team in the two games as eight different SU players recorded at least two hits. Leading the way was sophomore Grant Hoover, as he went 5-for-7 with a double and two RBI. Allison also had five hits and five runs scored.
 
Spangler finished with three hits and two walks while driving in six runs. Senior Mike Marcinko continued to pace the SU from the top of the order as he reached base five times and stole a base. McMillen drove in five runs.
 
The Raiders and Mounties complete their four-game weekend series tomorrow with a doubleheader at Mansfield Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m.