The Shippensburg University baseball team dropped a nine-inning non-conference matchup Tuesday against the Wilmington (Del.) Wildcats on the road, 11-3.
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Shippensburg (8-6) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one half inning before surrendering 11 unanswered runs the rest of the way. Freshman
Brady Harbach and junior
Carter Hinds tallied two hits apiece for the Raiders. Harbach also doubled and drove in a pair of runs.
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Wilmington (8-5) erased Shippensburg's advantage in the home half of the inning and were able to add to its lead with run-scoring rallies in three of its final four turns.
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The two teams combined for eight runs in a wild opening frame.
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Clutch two-out RBI singles from Harbach and graduate
Morgan Wyatt staked the visitors to a quick 3-0 edge. The Wildcats, however, worked a pair of bases-loaded walks ahead of a two-out, two-run single from Garrett Quinn during a five-run bottom of the first.
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Both starting pitchers were able to settle in following the rocky start and traded zeroes in each of the next three frames.
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Freshman
Ryan Novakowski kept the Raiders in the ball game through five, allowing just a two out RBI-single from Wilmington's D'Angelo Ponce over his last four innings.
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He was charged with a total of six runs on five hits and struck out five.
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The Raider bullpen, depleted from a doubleheader the day before, struggled following Novakowski's exit.
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Wilmington's Brandon Grygo smoked a double off the fence in right center to drive in two during the Wildcat's three-run sixth, and Chase Fleming stroked a two-run single in the eighth to wrap up the scoring.
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Steve Schenning started and earned the win on the mound for the Wildcats. The right-hander allowed just three unearned runs over five innings with five punchouts.
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Up next, the Raiders begin a four-game weekend series against West Chester Friday with a road doubleheader set for 1 p.m.