SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team posted a split with No. 28 East Stroudsburg on Saturday, winning Game 1, 5-2, and losing Game 2, 4-2, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division doubleheader on a mild day at Fairchild Field.
 
Shippensburg (7-17, 2-4 PSAC East) used a three-run bottom of the fifth in Game 1 to break a 2-2 tie with East Stroudsburg (19-5, 2-1), emerging triumphant in a seven-inning game that was completed in 1:47. The teams were attempting to beat Mother Nature in the nine-inning nightcap, but with two runners on and one out in the top of the ninth, the skies opened up and a one-hour lightning delay ensued.
 
Shippensburg will host Shepherd at 2 p.m. Friday at Fairchild Field.
 
Game 1: Shippensburg 5, East Stroudsburg 2
 
The Warriors plated a run in each of the first two innings, one on a wild pitch and another on an RBI-single, to take a 2-0 lead. SU equaled the score in the fourth on an RBI-groundout by sophomore Andrew Chronister and an RBI-single by senior Ben Werkheiser on the eighth pitch of his at-bat.
 
In the decisive fifth inning, three Raider runs came across home plate with two outs. With the bases loaded, junior Justin Darden drew a walk on seven pitches to make it 3-2. Two pitches later, Chronister singled into center field to make it 5-2.
 
Junior Noah Nabholz got the start and went four innings for a no-decision. He allowed three hits and two runs (one earned), walking one and striking out two.
 
Sophomore Jackson LoBianco got the win in relief, throwing three scoreless innings. Lobianco did not allow a hit; he walked three and recorded no strikeouts. Through five appearances this season, Lobianco has allowed just two earned runs in 11 innings.
 
Game 2: East Stroudsburg 4, Shippensburg 2
 
ESU plated its first two runs of Game 2 without the benefit of a hit. In the third, Brainy Rojas stole second base and an error on the steal attempt allowed Cooper Gehring to score to make it 1-0. In the fifth, Tommy Dunleavy scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.
 
Graduate JuJu Cason equaled the score in the fifth inning on a two-run double; he hit a rocket that evaded the raised glove of Brock Kauffman at third base and plated both sophomore Jafari Williams and redshirt-sophomore Justin Byler.
 
In the seventh, after the weather delay, Rojas came to the plate and hit a single to center field that scored Dunleavy. A second run scored on the play on a throwing error in an attempt to throw out Jeremy Piatkiewicz at third base.
 
Sophomore Gabe Stotler got the start and threw five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Fellow sophomore Kaleb Sophy worked three scoreless innings in relief, striking out five. Sophomore Ethan Miller was tagged with the loss.
 
Werkheiser had two of SU's eight hits in Game 2.
 
Scott Shamany worked a scoreless ninth, allowing just a hit-by-pitch, to pick up his fourth save.