SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team continued its 12-game homestand Friday afternoon by breaking out the bats with a pair of run-rule wins over West Liberty, winning Game 1, 9-0 in six innings, and taking Game 2, 12-4 in five innings, at Robb Field.
 
Shippensburg (9-3) totaled 23 hits on the day – 11 in Game 1 and 12 in Game 2. The Raiders only struck out just twice overall.
 
First-year outfielder Sarah Sabocsik continued her torrid stretch Friday by going 5-for-6 with two homers, a double, three RBIs and four runs. She reached base in six of her seven plate appearances overall with the addition of a walk.
 
Senior Taylor Myers was 4-for-7 with two doubles, a triple and three runs scored. Myers now has six extra-base hits this season (four in the last two days); in her first three seasons she had five career extra-base hits through 144 games.
 
Sophomore Caitlyn Martell was 4-for-8 with a home run, double, four RBIs and five runs scored. Senior Alyssa Nehlen reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a sacrifice bunt, a hit-by-pitch and four runs scored.
 
Senior Morgan Lindsay had four RBIs, while sophomore Emilee Sullivan had three hits and two RBIs.
 
Shippensburg will continue its home stretch at 1 p.m. Wednesday with a doubleheader against Bowie State.
 
Game One (9-0, 6 innings)
 
The first game of the afternoon saw Sabocsik continue right where she left off after her breakout Game 2 against Felician, as she took the fifth pitch of her first at-bat over the right-field fence for a solo home run to open the scoring. Dating back to yesterday's nightcap, it marked her third consecutive at-bat with a home run.
 
Nehlen used a six-pitch walk to open the bottom of the third inning, and Myers bunted on the first pitch for a single. Martell singled to left field, bringing Nehlen home, and advancing Myers to third to give the Raiders a 2-0 lead. Martell took second on the throw.
 
The inning continued with Lindsay earning an RBI on a fielder's choice to bring home Myers to extend the lead to three. Freshman Brie Wilmot singled to center field to bring Martell home, giving the Raiders a 4-0 lead after three innings.
 
Junior Katelyn Minney started the bottom of the fourth inning with a single through the right side. Minney stole second right after, her third stolen base of the season. A Nehlen sacrifice bunt advanced Minney to third. One out later, Martell hit a double into left field to bring home Minney. Immediately after, Lindsay doubled to left center to bring Martell home, extending the Raider lead to 6-0.
 
Sabocsik led off for SU in the bottom of the fifth, sending the fourth pitch over the right-center field fence for her second home run of the day -- her fourth home run in two games -- to give Shippensburg a 7-0 lead after five.
 
Nehlen started the Raiders in the bottom off the sixth, hitting a single down the left-field line. After a Myers groundout, Martell launched the fifth pitch of her at-bat over the left-field fence for a two-run home run, ending Game 1 via the run rule, 9-0.
 
Junior Alicia Ball pitched a complete game, garnering seven strikeouts on the day, only allowing one walk and three hits. She earned her fifth win of the season, and her first shutout of the season.
 
Game 2 (12-4, 5 innings)
 
Sydney Johnson opened the game for West Liberty by singling to shortstop on the fourth pitch. A Mallory Rosnick single through the left side advanced Johnson to second. Pinch runner Paytyn Tucker and Johnson each advanced a base from a wild pitch, and Johnson used a Sara Simon groundout to race home to give the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead.
 
With one out, Martell singled to third base in the bottom of the first. Martell advanced to second on a wild pitch, and Lindsay then singled through the left side to bring her home to even the game at 1-1.
 
With two outs, Sabocsik singled through the right side to advance Wilmot to second. Wilmot had reached via a fielder's choice. Sullivan hit a double to center field, advancing Sabocsik to third and Wilmot home to take a 2-1 lead.
 
The third inning proved to be vital for Shippensburg, which used an offensive explosion to add six more runs. Wilmot walked on four pitches after a Lindsay fly out. Sabocsik singled to left field and advanced Wilmot to second. Sullivan singled through the right side to load the bases. Senior Maelynn Leber hit a sacrifice fly to right field, which gave enough time for Wilmot to reach home and add the first run of the inning.
 
Five more runs then came with two outs. Minney singled to left center, bringing home Sabocsik and Sullivan for runs two and three. Minney stole second – her second stolen base of the day – and Nehlen was hit by a pitch. Myers sent the first pitch she saw into left-center for a triple, bringing Minney and Nehlen home for runs four and five. Martell then reached on a fielding error, giving time for Myers to run home and bringing the score to 8-1 after three.
 
In the top of the fourth, Simon singled to left field, with pinch runner Lauren Nolte coming in for her. Kieran Johnson singled up the middle to advance Nolte to third, and Nolte scored later via a wild pitch to cut the Raider lead to 8-2.
 
Katie Mancuso opened the top of the fifth inning for West Liberty by hitting a single up the middle. Two outs later, Simon hit the third pitch of her at-bat over the right-field fence for a two-run home run to cut Shippensburg's lead to four runs.
 
Nehlen started the bottom of the fifth inning with a walk. Myers walked on four pitches to get two Raiders on base. Martell hit a ball into that ate up the shortstop, advancing Myers to third and allowing Nehlen to touch home to bring SU's lead to 9-4.
 
After Martell stole second, Lindsay hit a sacrifice fly that advanced Martell to third and Myers home for the 10th run of the game for the Raiders. One out later, Sabocsik doubled down the left-field line to drive in Martell. Sullivan then hit the first pitch for a single to center field to bring home Sabocsik, ending Game 2 via the run rule with a score of 12-4.
 
Freshman Madalyn Dyer started in the circle for Shippensburg, her first start of the season. She pitched 4.2 innings, throwing seven strikeouts, and only allowing one walk for her second win of the season.