The Shippensburg University softball team was held to just five runs on Tuesday as it was swept by homestanding West Chester in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division doubleheader. WCU scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh in Game 1 for a 4-3 walk-off win before cruising to an 8-2 victory in the nightcap.
 
Shippensburg (30-14, 17-11) and West Chester (29-18, 17-11) moved into a share of second place in the Eastern Division standings, three games behind top seed East Stroudsburg – the only team to clinch a tournament berth thus far.
 
With only four games remaining in the regular season, the seeding atop the PSAC Eastern Division standings is extremely tight. One game back of both the Raiders and the Golden Rams are both Bloomsburg (16-12) and Kutztown (16-12), while Millersville (14-14), Lock Haven (13-17) and Shepherd (12-16) are all lurking as well. Not only are the postseason participants yet to be decided, but seeding is still anyone's guess.
 
The Top 5 teams in each division will qualify for next week's PSAC Tournament.
 
Shippensburg trailed 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning in Tuesday's opener when freshman Sarah Sabocsik delivered a three-run double with two outs that gave the Raiders the lead. The big hit came on the first pitch of her at-bat, right after sophomore Caitlyn Martell worked a 10-pitch walk that included a swing during her plate appearance in which her metal bat shattered into two pieces on a foul ball.
 
SU loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh but was unable to push across any additional runs. WCU countered in the bottom half of the inning by loading the bases with no outs. After an infield pop out, a bases-loaded walk and a walk-off single delivered the victory to the hosts.
 
In the nightcap, senior Morgan Lindsay hit an RBI-single in the top of the first but the Golden Rams countered with three runs in the bottom of the first and never trailed the rest of the way.
 
Senior Alyssa Nehlen reached base four times in the doubleheader, as she singled, walked and was hit twice. Sabocsik, Lindsay and sophomore Emilee Sullivan each had three hits. Martell hit a solo home run in Game 2.
 
Shippensburg returns to action at 2 p.m. Friday at Mansfield. On Saturday, SU will host Kutztown at 1 p.m. on Senior Day at Robb Field.

SOFTBALL: Sarah Sabocsik's 🚀double clears the bases and the Raiders have the lead at West Chester!!

GM 1 | SHIP 3, WCU 2 pic.twitter.com/tSLG4WQ0gV

— SHIP Sports Info (@ShipURaiders) April 23, 2024

SOFTBALL: Morgan Lindsay with a two-out RBI-single up the middle to get the Raiders on the board in Game 2! 🦆🥎 pic.twitter.com/z1GmwOsp0q

— SHIP Sports Info (@ShipURaiders) April 23, 2024

SOFTBALL: A Marty 💣gets SU within one. It's 3-2 WCU, bottom 3 in Game 2. pic.twitter.com/brKkyXf1Y9

— SHIP Sports Info (@ShipURaiders) April 23, 2024