Gallery: (2-11-2023) 2023 Softball vs. Fairmont St. Feb. 10
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team opened its 2023 season on Friday with a split a doubleheader against Fairmont State, beginning with a shutout win in Game 1, 5-0, before falling in a close Game 2, 1-0, at Robb Field.
Shippensburg (1-1) totaled 10 hits in the doubleheader. The Raiders had a strong bottom of the sixth inning in Game 1 to score five runs, while Fairmont State (1-1) scraped an early run in the top of the second for the difference in Game 2.
Sophomore
Katelyn Minney had three hits in total, while graduate
Hannah Marsteller and freshman
Rilee Ehrlacher had an RBI each in Game 1.
Sophomore pitcher
Alicia Ball had four strikeouts and only allowed two hits in Game 1. It was her third career complete-game shutout. Freshman pitcher
Kaira Zamadics, in her collegiate debut, had five strikeouts and threw six innings in Game 2, allowing seven hits. Redshirt-senior
Maddie Uschock threw the seventh inning as a relief pitcher.
Shippensburg will be back tomorrow to face Fairmont State at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Shippensburg 5, Fairmont State 0
The game was even for the first four innings; it wasn't until the top of the fifth that Fairmont State had its best chance to score a run. The Fighting Falcons had the bases loaded and one out, but Ball stranded the runnersand got the Raiders out of the jam.
The bottom of the sixth was the turning point for the Raiders. In the top of the sixth, junior
Alyssa Nehlen made a diving catch on a lineout for the third out. That momentum carried into the bottom of the sixth.
Junior
Taylor Myers started off with a single to left field and then Minney delivered a sacrifice bunt. Marsteller reached bases on a fielder's choice and moved to second on an error by Fairmont State, and Myers scored for a 1-0 lead.
Freshman Caitlin Martell, in her debut, then reached base on an error, and brought Marsteller home. Fellow freshman Ehrlacher, with the bases loaded and one out, also hit into an error by Fairmont State to bring home Martell and pinch runner, sophomore
Ally Weaver. Junior
Alyssa Nehlen, who reached base on a single, scored on a wild pitch.
Game 2: Fairmont State 1, Shippensburg 0
Fairmont State struck first with a triple by Mackenzie Maddy that brought one run home in the top of the second. The Raiders had an opportunity in the bottom of the fourth to tie the score with the bases loaded and one out, but was unable to capitalize.
Fighting Falcon pitcher Emma Gates threw a shutout in her collegiate debut, allowing just three hits and striking out three.
