SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team dropped both ends of a non-conference doubleheader against Caldwell on Sunday, falling by scores of 5-4 and 6-4 to the Cougars on a cold and blustery day at Robb Field.
 
Shippensburg (15-11) held a 1-0 lead over Caldwell (11-13) through the first five innings of Game 1, but the Cougars rallied with three runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh to take a 5-1 advantage. The Raiders scored three times in the bottom of the seventh and got the winning run into scoring position with two outs, but ultimately could not complete the comeback.
 
In Game 2, the two teams combined for 21 hits (all singles). Shippensburg led 1-0 through two innings, but Caldwell scored twice in the third to take a 2-1 lead. The Raiders and Cougars then exchanged runs from the bottom of the fourth through the top of the sixth, and Caldwell added two more in the seventh to take a 6-3 lead. SU got one run in the seventh and got the tying run to the plate, but again, had its rally come up short.
 
Freshmen Morgan DeFeo and Grace Palmieri each completed the doubleheader with four hits. DeFeo opened the Game 1 scoring with an RBI-single. Palmieri drove in two runs in the Game 1 seventh-inning rally with a single.
 
Sophomore Courtney Coy finished with two RBIs, and freshmen Hannah Marsteller and Sydney Reffner each added one. In Game 2, junior Kayla Bonawitz was 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and three runs scored. Junior Nicole McCleary pinch ran and scored in each game.
 
Freshman Tressa Kagarise and senior Taryn Wilson were the SU starters on the day. Kagarise got all but the final out in the opener, striking out six in 6.2 innings. Wilson struck out three in 4.1 innings of Game 2. Freshman Hannah Johnson appeared as a reliever in both games, totaling three innings pitched with one strikeout.
 
UP NEXT: Tuesday, 2:30 p.m. at Lock Haven (DH).