SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team battled toe-to-toe with one of NCAA Division II baseball's top programs over 16 innings Sunday, but in the end dropped both games of a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) doubleheader to No. 14-ranked Millersville at Fairchild Field, 7-6 and 8-6.
 
Shippensburg (19-21, 7-11 PSAC East) rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-4 lead midway through Game 1. Millersville (30-6, 13-2) answered immediately, tying the score a half inning later, and Chase Simmons broke the stalemate with a solo home run in the seventh, sending the Marauders to a 7-6 win.
 
In Game 2, the Raiders fell behind early once more before plating five unanswered runs to make it a one-run game, but the hosts were unable to complete the comeback, dropping the nightcap by an 8-6 final score.
 
Junior Austin Baal blasted his 10th home run of the season, a three-run shot in the bottom of the third inning, to spark the Raiders' Game 2 comeback attempt.
 
Baal went 4-for-7 at the plate with six runs batted in during the twinbill.
 
Simmons finished 4-for-6 with three runs scored and two RBIs on the day. Three of his four hits went for extra bases, tallying a pair of doubles in addition to his game-winning home run.
 
Up next, the Raiders will travel west for a mid-week battle against Pitt-Johnstown Tuesday at 1 p.m.
 
Game 1: Millersville 7, Shippensburg 6
 
Shippensburg began its five-run fourth inning with four consecutive singles, capped by a line drive RBI single from freshman Tony Falvo that drove in sophomore Carter Arbuthnot.
 
A sacrifice fly from sophomore Gio Calamia brought the Raiders to within one, and sophomore Carter Hinds followed with a clutch single to drive in junior Andrew Chronister representing the tying run, 4-4.
 
Graduate Justin Byler laced a double to the wall in right to give SU the lead, and Baal wrapped up the rally with a sacrifice fly that made it a 6-4 ballgame.
 
A walk and a hit by pitch with the bases loaded handed the visitors a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, evening the score at 6-6, and Simmons provided the rest.
 
Shippensburg out-hit the Marauders 12-to-7 in the opener. Baal (2-for-3), Byler (2-for-4) and Chronister (2-for-3) recorded multi-hit games.
 
The Raiders bats roughed up one of the Marauders' top arms in Ben Wilchacky, charging the right-hander with five runs on nine hits in three innings. Millersville's Kris Pirozzi tossed three scoreless to earn the win in relief.
 
Junior Austen LaBarre was tagged with the loss despite allowing just one run on two hits in 2.1 innings of relief of graduate starting pitcher Noah Nabholz and Ethan Miller.
 
Game 2: Millersville 8, Shippensburg 6
 
Millersville began the nightcap with six runs over the first three frames, highlighted by a three-run blast from shortstop Thomas Caufield in the top of the first.
 
Following Baal's third inning round-tripper, the Raiders tacked on an unearned run in the fifth and sophomore Jaxon Dalena added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it one run contest, 6-5.
 
Freshman J.T. Weaver settled in following a rough initial start, tossing scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth, while redshirt-freshman Eric Bohenek allowed two runs in four innings of relief to open the door for a possible comeback.
 
Millersville's Colby Gromlich (3 IP, 2 R) earned the win in relief of starter Alex Mykut, while Weaver was charged with the loss.
 
Freshman Mike Heckman finished with three hits.

BASEBALL: Baal goes BYE-BYE and the Raiders are back in it! His 3-run moonshot makes it 6-3 Millersville in Game 2. pic.twitter.com/Eustbtelcx

— SHIP Sports Info (@ShipURaiders) April 16, 2023