SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team split a close doubleheader against Wilmington (Del.) on Wednesday falling 5-3 in Game 1 before rallying to take the victory in Game 2, 2-1, at Robb Field.
 
Shippensburg (12-10) totaled 10 hits in the doubleheader and did not commit any errors. The Raiders took a 3-1 lead in the opener but Wilmington (10-10) tied it and scraped out two runs in the eighth inning in the international tiebreaker to win Game 1. Shippensburg senior Morgan DeFeo finished off Game 2 with a two-run walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 2-1 victory.
 
Junior Hannah Marsteller had two hits and three RBIs, including a three-run home run in Game 1. DeFeo had two hits and two RBIs. Freshman Emma Mackulin and sophomore Taylor Myers had two hits each.
 
Shippensburg will host Shepherd at 1 p.m. Saturday to open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division play.
 
Game 1: Wilmington 5, Shippensburg 3
 
Wilmington struck first with an RBI-single in the third inning. Shippensburg took the lead in the fifth inning Marsteller's three-run home run into center field. All three SU runs scored with two outs. The Wildcats answered back quickly with two runs in the next inning.
 
Neither team scored in the seventh inning, bring the game to the international tiebreaker with a runner on second base. The Wildcat had the lead runner eliminated on a fielder's choice but managed to load the bases and got a two-out, two-run single from Taylor Gillis.  
 
Sophomore Emma Flattery started in the circle for the Raiders. She threw 6.0 innings, allowing eight hits and striking out two. Redshirt-sophomore Maddie Uschock came in as a relief pitcher and threw 1.2 innings, while junior Hannah Palinkas threw one pitch to get the last out in the eighth inning.
 
This was Wilmington's third straight game with the international tiebreaker, as the Wildcats took on West Chester yesterday and had both of their wins go into the eighth inning.

Game 2: Shippensburg 2, Wilmington 1
 
Shippensburg fell behind after a two-out rally in the fifth by Wilmington resulted in a bases-loaded walk. The Raiders needed to find an answer in the seventh inning.
 
Wilmington got the first out, but Myers answered with a pinch-hit single to the pitcher. Senior Hannah Johnson came in as a pinch hitter and was hit by a pitch with two outs. Freshman Katelyn Minney, the leadoff hitter, was also hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded and two outs, DeFeo ended the night with a two-run walkoff single.
 
Freshman Alicia Ball threw a complete game and improved her record to 4-3. Ball allowed just three hits and struck out six Wildcats.