The Shippensburg University softball team used a grand slam by junior Chloe Collins and outstanding pitching in Game 2 Saturday to split a doubleheader at No. 22 West Chester. SU dropped the first game, 7-2, but bounced back to win the second game, 6-0.
 
SU (17-16, 2-4 PSAC East) finished the afternoon with 13 hits as a team, but timely hitting and pitching allowed the Raiders to bounce back from the loss in the first game. Both junior Tara Bicko and junior Anna Warfield totaled three hits on the day. Junior Maddie Mulhall and freshman Kendall Geis each added two hits to the SU cause.
 
Three different SU pitchers had scoreless outings Saturday as sophomore Taryn Wilson, sophomore Nicole Smith and sophomore Julia Tosti each did not allow a run during their time in the circle.
 
Game 1
 
SU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Warfield knocked in freshman Meghan Klee from second with an RBI single.
 
Collins, who was in the circle in Game 1, kept the Golden Rams off the scoreboard in the first two innings, but a third-inning homer from West Chester tied the game. The Golden Rams went on to score another run in the fourth inning and five runs in the fifth to break the game open.
 
Collins picked up an RBI with a fielder's choice in the top of the seventh inning, but the Raiders left two runners on base to end the game. Tosti threw 1.2 scoreless innings of relief in which she struck out three batters.
 
Game 2
 
SU's Game 2 starting pitcher, Smith, allowed the Golden Rams to load the bases with one out in the first inning, but the sophomore righty struck out a batter and induced a fly out to strand three runners.
 
Both teams went in order in the second, but Mulhall singled to begin the third inning for SU. Warfield followed with a bunt single and freshman Kayla Bonawitz followed with a sacrifice bunt that was mishandled to load the bases. After a fly out, Geis put SU on the board with an RBI single.
 
Then it was Collins who broke the game open as she unloaded a grand slam to left-center field to put the Raiders up, 5-0.
 
That was more than enough for Smith and Wilson as they combined for a five-hit shutout. Smith hit the first two batters in the third inning, which led to Wilson being summoned. Wilson walked the first batter she faced to load the bases, but the Raiders again stranded three runners as Wilson induced a fly out, followed by a strikeout and a foul out to end the inning.
 
Wilson allowed five more base runners, but was able to strand all of them as she struck out six in five scoreless frames for her fourth win of the season.
 
The Raiders return to action Sunday as they will host Goldey-Beacom for a doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m.