SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team engaged in two roller-coaster games with Mansfield on Saturday, sweeping the visiting Mountaineers in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division doubleheader by scores of 6-5 (eight innings) and 8-7 at Robb Field.
 
Shippensburg (22-14, 16-12 PSAC East) and Mansfield (3-21, 3-21) exchanged leads six times and were tied twice over the course of Saturday's doubleheader, but the Raiders emerged victorious to claim the season series and remain an active participant in the PSAC playoff race. Game 1 ended on an RBI-single by Morgan DeFeo and Game 2 ended on an RBI-single by Lacey Hunter.
 
The two teams combined for 41 hits, 11 errors and more than 60 baserunners.
 
In Game 1, SU trailed 3-0 entering the bottom of the sixth but got a two-run double from Hannah Marsteller and a three-run homer from Courtney Coy to take a 5-3 lead into the seventh. Mansfield's Hannah Breitigan, who had six hits in the doubleheader, hit a two-run single to tie it before DeFeo's eventual walkoff in the eighth.
 
Game 2 was all over the place. An early 1-0 Mountie lead became a 2-1 SU lead in the third after an RBI-double by Alyssa Nehlen and an RBI-single by Marsteller. MU tied it in the top of the fourth, but a run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth made it 3-2 SU.
 
In the top of the fifth, Mansfield cranked out four more hits to score twice and take a 4-3 lead. Marsteller opened the bottom of the fifth with a homer on the first pitch to even the score at 4-4. In the bottom of the sixth, the Raiders scored twice on the benefit of a passed ball and a groundout to take a 6-4 lead.
 
Mansfield, however, scored in its final at-bat for the second time on the day, this time scoring three runs to take a 7-6 lead. An RBI-single by Danielle Goff evened the score, but the go-ahead run also scored on the play due to a throwing error.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Coy led off with a single, and an error on a fielder's choice meant runners on first and second. Maelynn Leber, then hit a double that plated pinch runner Maria Leedom and put the winning run on third base with nobody out. Two batters later, Hunter hit one through the right side for the walkoff.
 
Hunter and Taylor Myers finished the doubleheader with four hits and combined to score five runs. Marsteller had three hits and two walks, while Coy and DeFeo also finished with three hits.
 
With one week remaining in the regular season, Shippensburg will be in a battle for one of the two remaining playoff berths in the PSAC Eastern Division. East Stroudsburg (16-10 divisional record), West Chester (14-12 divisional record) and Shippensburg (16-12 divisional record) are vying to join Shepherd and Kutztown in the playoffs. Millersville (12-16) and Bloomsburg (12-16) are not yet out of the playoff picture either.
 
Shippensburg returns to action at 1 p.m. Friday at West Chester.