SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University softball team split a low-scoring Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division twinbill against the Shepherd Rams on a sunny, warm Tuesday afternoon at Robb Field.
 
Shippensburg (29-11, 16-8 PSAC East) ace Alicia Ball outdueled Shepherd (19-23, 9-15) counterpart Madelayne Ruffner in a 2-0 victory in Game 1, but the Raiders could not solve Shepherd Game 2 starter Kourtney McNatt during a 5-1 loss in the nightcap.
 
The Raiders totaled just eight hits overall against Shepherd pitching Tuesday. Sophomore Caitlyn Martell led the way with a 3-6 day at the plate with a pair of runs scored. Freshman Sarah Sabocsik finished 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs.
 
Shippensburg, coming off a stretch of three doubleheaders in four days, will receive a much-needed break before returning to action Saturday with a doubleheader at Millersville. First pitch of Game 1 is slated for 1 p.m.
 
Game 1: Shippensburg 2, Shepherd 0
 
Ball twirled her third complete game shutout of the season in the opener, scattering seven hits and striking out five Ram batters. She improved her season record to 15-3 and lowered her ERA to 2.04 with the win.
 
Ruffner, meanwhile, held the Raiders to just three hits – but it turned out to be enough, as Sabocsik drove in both SU runs.
 
The freshman outfielder doubled down the right field line to score Martell in the bottom of the first.
 
Martell later singled to start the third – her second base hit of the game – stole second, advanced to third on a fly out and scored on a Sabocsik sacrifice fly.
 
Ball successfully stranded a pair of Shepherd base runners in the fifth and the seventh without allowing a run.
 
Game 2: Shepherd 5, Shippensburg 1
 
The Ship bats remained quiet against Ram left-hander McNatt in a 5-1 setback.
 
McNatt allowed just one earned run on five hits. She struck out two and walked one. McNatt pitched just 9.2 total innings and had made no starts this season before her complete game victory Tuesday.
 
The Shepherd offense staked its starting pitcher to an early lead with a two-run rally in the top of the second, highlighted by a two-out, two run single from Lexi Clatterbuck.
 
They added single runs in three of the last four frames.
 
Shippensburg only tally came via a fifth inning sacrifice fly from freshman Emily Lafferty that scored sophomore Emilee Sullivan. Sullivan stroked an opposite field triple earlier in the frame.
 
Senior Taylor Myers recorded a pair of singles in three at bats.
 
Freshman Madalyn Dyer and sophomore Kaira Zamadics split time in the circle for the Raiders. Zamadics delivered a season-high four innings and allowed just two runs.