The Shippensburg University softball team continued its early-season success Friday with a pair of wins at the Snowbird Softball Freeze Out in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Raiders beat West Virginia State, 7-5, in the first game of the day before defeating Concord, 8-1, in their second game.
 
The Raiders, which did not win their sixth game until the 17^th game of the season last season (March 11), have allowed three runs or less in six of their seven games this season.
 
Sophomore Nicole Smith was impressive in the circle for SU as she earned the win in both games. Junior Macy Luck had a fine afternoon, totaling three hits, including a triple and three RBI. Freshman Kendall Geis also had three knocks over the two games, with two doubles and two RBI. Freshman Kayla Bonawitz and junior Tara Bicko both added two hits to the SU cause.
 
Shippensburg 7, West Virginia State 5
 
The Raiders jumped on the Yellow Jackets quickly in the second inning as Meghan Klee opened the scoring with an RBI single. SU picked up two runs on an error and then added two more when junior Macy Luck tripled in a pair of runners to put the Raiders up, 5-0. Junior Tara Bicko then doubled in Luck to extend the Raider lead to six runs.
 
Geis drove in junior Anna Warfield with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning to make it 7-1, Raiders before WVSU rallied with a run in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to make it a two-run game with one out and a runner on base in the final inning. However, SU was able to wiggle out of the jam by inducing a pop out to the catcher and a fly out to left field.
 
Shippensburg 8, Concord 1
 
The Raiders again started quickly with two runs in the first inning as Bonawitz doubled to open the game, and advanced to third when Luck singled. Luck then stole second, and Bonawitz scored after the throw to second was offline. Luck scored later in the inning when Bicko drove her in.
 
SU went on to score four runs in the second inning as Luck drove in a run with a single before Bicko drew a bases-loaded walk. Junior Chloe Collins broke the game open with a two-run double to left-center field that made it, 6-0 Raiders. That was more than enough for Smith, who earned the complete-game victory.
 
SU added a run in the third on a Bonawitz RBI single and another tally in the fifth when Collins picked up her third RBI of the contest with a run-scoring single.
 
Shippensburg will play twice Saturday at the Snowbird Freeze Out, beginning at 10 a.m. against Wilmington, followed by a matchup with PSAC foe, Slippery Rock at 2 p.m.