SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team could not maintain an early lead against Wilmington on Wednesday, dropping a 7-6 decision to the Wildcats in action at Fairchild Field.
 
Shippensburg (6-12) laced four extra-base hits in a five-run second inning to take an early 5-2 lead. Senior Zack Zoller tripled with one out and scored on a double by senior Jacob Pollock. Sophomore Justin Darden singled home Pollock and later scored on a double hit inside the third-base bag by sophomore Nick Zanic.
 
Junior Ben Werkheiser plated two more in the inning on a double into the right-center field gap; a third run was cut down at the plate trying to score on the play.
 
Wilmington (4-9) scored all seven of its runs with two outs. A three-run home run by Justin Hyatt that hit off the football scoreboard made it 5-5 in the top of the fourth, but freshman second baseman Joe Barbera countered with an RBI-double in the bottom half that made it 6-5.
 
The Wildcats got a single in the eighth to tie it and a double in the ninth to gain the final lead. The Raiders were retired in order in each of the final two innings to end the game.
 
Werkheiser reached base three times, drawing two walks in addition to his two-run double. Barbera was the leadoff hitter; he reached base twice and had a stolen base. Darden had two hits.

Junior Chris Horst got the start and threw six innings, allowing five unearned runs and striking out three. Senior Jack Jenkens pitched the seventh inning, and redshirt-junior Noah Inch pitched the eighth and ninth innings. Inch had three strikeouts.
 
Shippensburg opens PSAC East play at 2 p.m. Friday versus Shepherd at Fairchild Field.