SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team extended its winning streak to four games on Friday, opening its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division series with Lock Haven by dispatching the Bald Eagles, 22-2, on a windy day at Fairchild Field.
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Shippensburg (11-17, 6-4 PSAC East) improved its season batting average by 11 points as part of a 21-hit attack and scored its most runs in a game in five years. All nine starters had at least one hit, including seven who had multiple hits.
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The day's sluggers were junior
Justin Darden and senior
Ben Werkheiser. Both men hit two home runs and both finished with six RBIs.
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Darden hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth and added a two-run shot in the seventh; both homers came on the first pitch of each at-bat. He finished the day 3-for-4 with two homers, a double, two walks, six RBIs and five runs scored.
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Werkheiser hit a pair of three-run homers, coming in back-to-back at bats in the fifth and sixth inning. He finished the day with three runs scored.
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Sophomore
Joe Barbera was inserted into the leadoff spot and went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Fellow sophomore
Andrew Chronister was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, while graduate
JuJu Cason had two singles and three RBIs.
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Junior
Lake Lloyd and redshirt-sophomore
Justin Byler each had two hits (including a double), an RBI and two runs scored.
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Graduate
Matt Shilling opened the scoring with an RBI-single in the bottom of the second. Freshman
Carter Hinds doubled, walked and scored three runs. Redshirt-sophomore
Andres Garcia hit an RBI-double.
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Redshirt-junior
Nick Zegna improved to 4-3 on the season by allowing just one run on seven hits in seven innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. It's the fourth straight start that Zegna has thrown seven or more innings and the eighth time in nine starts this season that he has thrown at least six innings.
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Redshirt-freshmen
Cameron Goble and
Brock Piper finished the game on the mound. Goble allowed one run in the eighth but struck out the side, while Piper pitched a 1-2-3 ninth with one strikeout.
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Shippensburg heads to Watkins Field tomorrow for a twinbill with the Bald Eagles that begins at noon.