SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team dropped an 18-9 decision to Pitt-Johnstown on Tuesday in a nine-inning game at Fairchild Field.
 
Shippensburg (6-11) allowed a season high in runs and could not overcome an early deficit, as Pitt-Johnstown (11-5) scored five runs in the second, three in the fourth and five in the fifth to gain a lopsided advantage.
 
Sophomore Tony Vavaroutsos hit an RBI-triple for SU's only run of the first seven innings. In the eighth, senior Zack Zoller hit a two-run double and redshirt-freshman Andres Garcia was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in a three-run frame.
 
The Raiders scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning on a collection of singles, bloops and ducksnorts.
 
Freshman Joe Barbera entered as a reserve midway through the game and finished with three of SU's 10 hits. Senior Jacob Pollock had a two-run single in the five-run ninth inning.
 
Pitt-Johnstown had 12 hits, including a three-run homer to left-center field in the second inning by Isaiah Kearns. The Mountain Cats also drew 16 walks and were hit by seven pitches.
 
Shippensburg hosts Wilmington at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Fairchild Field.