SHIPPENSBURG, Pa – The Shippensburg University baseball team had opportunities but was ultimately unsuccessful in its attempt to snap No. 21 East Stroudsburg's long win streak, dropping a pair of games during a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division doubleheader Saturday at Fairchild Field, 10-8 and 7-1.
 
The Raiders (16-15, 10-10 PSAC) jumped out to a 5-0 lead on the Warriors in the opener, only for the visitors to respond with seven consecutive runs to earn the victory. Shippensburg then had a critical late-inning rally come up short in the nightcap.
 
East Stroudsburg (28-3, 16-0) extended its win streak to 26 consecutive games and remained perfect in PSAC Eastern Division play with the doubleheader sweep.
 
Senior Austin Baal had a big day at the plate for the Raiders, batting .600 (3-for-5) with a titanic, no-doubt blast in Game 2. He totaled three RBIs, three runs scored and a pair of walks.
 
Shippensburg next travels to Pitt-Johnstown for a nine-inning non-conference battle Tuesday at 1 p.m.
 
Game 1: East Stroudsburg 10, Shippensburg 8
 
The Raiders took it to the nationally-ranked Warriors early in the opener, putting together a perfectly-executed four-run rally in the bottom of the first.
 
After the first two batters reached against ESU starting pitcher Gavin Sopko, Baal steeped to the plate and delivered a two-run single to give the hosts an early lead.
 
Junior Andrew Chronister then worked a walk, and junior Carter Arbuthnot stroked an RBI single to drive in Baal. Sophomore Mike Heckman then drove Chronister in from third with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0 Shippensburg.
 
Sophomore J.T. Weaver struck out the side in order in the next inning, and the Raider bats kept the momentum – plating a fifth run on an RBI double from graduate Justin Byler in the bottom of the second frame.
 
The Warriors responded with a five-run top of the third, with the big blow coming in the form of a three-run blast off the bat of designated hitter Colin Houck.
 
ESU broke the stalemate with a two-run top of the sixth.
 
Heckman made it a one-run game with a solo shot in the bottom half of the frame, but the ESU offense had no let up.
 
Shanley Wall led the Warriors with four hits and three driven in.
 
Junior Gio Calamia finished with two hits and three runs scored for Shippensburg.
 
Game 2: East Stroudsburg 7, Shippensburg 1
 
The Raiders fought the Warriors tooth and nail through five innings of Game 2 before the visitors pulled away late.
 
Baal's solo shot made it a 1-1 ballgame after two. The Warriors regained a slim one-run advantage with a Walker Zampella RBI single in the top of the fourth, and a two-out, two-run single from lead-off man Mike Kelly made it a 4-1 game two innings later.
 
Down three, the Raiders pieced together a strong potential rally in the home half of the sixth. Junior Bryce Herb led off the frame with a double, but was later erased on a fielder's choice. A single from Byler and a Baal walk chased ESU starting pitcher Peyton Brannock and loaded the bases for Chronister.
 
Chronister connected on a sharply hit grounder that was corralled on a diving effort to his right from third baseman Jack Rothenhausler. Rothenhausler then got the force at third on what was a bang-bang play as the Warrior escaped the jam without allowing a run.
 
ESU put up five runs of offense in its final two at bats to blow the game open.
 
Braddock (5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R) was outstanding, outdoing a solid start from SU senior Gabe Stotler. Stotler fanned three in five-plus innings and was charged with four earned runs.