SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- The Shippensburg University softball team experienced two setbacks Saturday afternoon, dropping both games of a doubleheader against Pace, 5-0 and 14-8, in non-conference action at Robb Field.
 
Shippensburg (4-4) mustered four hits in the first game before sparking the bats in Game 2, getting eight runs on ten hits and seven RBIs.
 
Junior Caitlyn Martell found the bases in four of her seven plate appearances on the day – hitting three singles and a double. Two of her hits were RBIs; she also scored two runs.
 
Sophomore Emily Lafferty continued to be the team's best base stealer, converting a perfect four stolen base attempts. Lafferty also contributed two hits and scored two runs.
 
Shippensburg will visit IUP on Tuesday for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
 
Game One
 
Pace (4-0) opened the scoring in the top of the fourth inning with two outs. After opening the inning with back-to-back strikeouts, Willa Poplawski singled up through the middle, Raelle Gorma drew a walk, and Aubrey Carroll singled up the middle to bring Poplawski home for the 1-0 lead.
 
Martell hit a double to right center in the bottom of the fourth but got stranded after two consecutive popouts.
 
The Setters added a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning, starting with a leadoff single from Riley Jenkin. Pinch runner Nikki Chong stole second base before advancing to third from Brianna Shea's bunt on which she reached with a single. Poplawski singled into right field to advance Shea to third and bring home Chong. Gorman's RBI double up the middle then got Shea home for the three-run lead.
 
The Raiders attempted to rally in the bottom of the sixth, which started when Lafferty reached first base after a bunt attempt. Lafferty then stole second and advanced to third after a single from Martell. After Martell stole second, two consecutive outs ended the Raider comeback attempt.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, Pace added two more, starting with Alexa Borino's single to third base. Borino stole second base, then Riley Jenkin singled up the middle to allow Borino to race home for a 4-0 score. Poplawski then singled up the middle, getting Jenkin to second, then a double to right field from Gorman got Jenkin home for the 5-0 final score in Game 1.
 
SU got two more on base in the bottom of the seventh inning, a single from sophomore Reagan Bauman and a walk by freshman Grace Ciochetto, but two consecutive strikeouts ended Game 1 in a shutout.
 
Pace pitcher Gisselle Garcia stifled the Raider bats, striking out 12 while only allowing one walk and four hits.
 
Game Two
 
Pace opened the second game with five runs in the first two innings. The first of the runs came from a two-run home-run shot from Poplawski, also bringing home Jenkin. Gorman hit a double to right center, followed up by Shea getting a double into center field to bring Gorman in for the 3-0 lead.
 
The top of the second inning saw the Setters add the other two runs, being set up with Kaylee Matsuda getting walked. Jade Alvarado hit a double into left center field that got Matsuda home, followed by a single to right field by Jenkin to bring Alvarado home.
 
The Raiders got on the board in the bottom of the second, getting the run in a two-out situation. Ciochetto reached on an error before sophomore Anna Rahner hit a double into center field for an RBI and cutting the Pace lead to 5-1.
 
The bottom of the third inning saw the Raider bats spark to life, scoring five total runs. The first run was set up after Lafferty reached on an error and then stole second base. Sophomore Reagan Bauman hit a double down the left field line to bring home Lafferty and cut the lead to three.
 
Martell continued the streak by hitting a double into center field that brought home Bauman for a 5-3 Pace lead. A single from sophomore Brie Wilmot advanced Martell to third, which brought junior Rilee Ehrlacher to the plate. Erlacher, on the second pitch she faced, launched the ball into left field and over the fence for a three-run home run, her first career home run with the Raiders.
 
Pace added six more runs in the fourth and fifth innings, highlighted by Poplawski getting her second two-run home run of the game.
 
The bottom of the sixth inning saw the Raiders add two more runs, the first being set up from Lafferty. A single up the middle and a steal of second base brought Bauman to the plate, who flew out but that allowed Lafferty to advance to third. A Martell single to center field finished the job, bringing home Lafferty. With the bases loaded, Ciochetto walked and brought home Martell to cut the deficit to 12-8.
 
Garcia, the Game 1 starting pitcher, re-entered for Pace and recorded a strikeout to leave the bases loaded. The Setters added two more runs in the top of the seventh for the final score of 14-8.