SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- The Shippensburg University softball team opened Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play Tuesday afternoon, splitting an Eastern Division doubleheader against Shepherd. The Rams won Game 1, 2-1, and the Raiders won Game 2, 8-6, at sunny Robb Field.
 
The Raiders (11-5, 1-1 PSAC East) attempted a late rally in Game 1, but two early runs from the Rams (5-8, 1-1 PSAC East) thwarted their attempt. Game 2 saw the bats spark early, with SU leading 8-3 after the first inning and holding the lead through the final out.
 
Sophomore Emily Lafferty recorded three total hits through both games. Lafferty also had an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base, remaining perfect on the year with 16 steals on 16 attempts.
 
Raider senior ace Alicia Ball and Ram sophomore ace Madelayne Ruffner each struck out 11 batters in Game 1, while SU freshman Dani Hayward allowed a single earned run in a career-high five innings pitched to earn the victory in Game 2.
 
Shippensburg next hosts Fairmont State at 1 p.m. tomorrow for a non-conference doubleheader at Robb Field.
 
Game 1: SHEPHERD 2, SHIP 1
 
Shepherd opened the game with Madelyn Chambers getting to first base via a hit by pitch and then stealing second. A strikeout and a groundout in which Chambers advanced to third followed, setting up the two-out RBI single from Trynda Mantz.
 
The Rams added a second run to their lead in the second inning, starting with a Brenna Collis single through the right side. A single by Haylee Hartman advanced Collis to second, and a two-out single through the left side from Chambers brought home Collis for the 2-0 lead.
 
A defensive battle occurred for the next five innings of play, where both teams combined for just four hits total. SU had runners on the corners with nobody out in the bottom of the second, but Ruffner struck out the side. 
 
The Raiders looked for another come from behind win in the bottom of the seventh, starting the rally with junior Rilee Ehrlacher. Ehrlacher, down 0-2 in the count, launched the third pitch up that narrowly got past the left field fence for her third home run of the season – a solo shot to cut the lead to one.
 
A walk from freshman Gianna Cimino set up a pinch running situation for sophomore Ryan Morse, where Morse stole second and advanced to third off of a groundout. The Rams defense held, as a groundout, pop out, and a strikeout ended the Raiders chance of tying the game.
 
Ruffner and Ball had tremendous outings in the circle for their respective teams. Ruffner twirled 11 strikeouts, her 20th game of ten or more strikeouts, while scattering four hits, three walks and only one run. Ball also threw 11 strikeouts, her second time matching her career high of 11. Ball scattered four hits, one walk, and two runs scored.
 
Game 2: SHIP 8, SHEPHERD 6
 
Shepherd opened Game 2 with three runs in the first half inning, starting with Ruffner singling to shortstop and a walk by Cate Russian. Collis later hit the ball over the fence in right center field for a three-run bomb to put the Rams up 3-0.
 
The Raiders responded by putting their foot on the gas and scoring eight runs in the bottom of the frame. The inning started with Lafferty reaching via bunt single, then stealing second base. Sophomore Reagan Bauman tripled into right field, bringing home Lafferty for the first run. Junior Caitlyn Martell walked, stole second, then during sophomore Sarah Sabocsik's at bat, a passed ball allowed Bauman to score. A throwing error on the play also allowed Martell to race home and tie the game at three.
 
After Sabocsik was hit by a pitch, Shepherd changed pitchers. Sophomore Brie Wilmot singled to right center and brought home Sabocsik and advanced to second on a fielding error and subsequently to third on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly from Ehrlacher plated Wilmot. Senior Aryanna Briddell then doubled to center field and junior Lindsey Haser singled to left center to advance Briddell to third, where a throwing error during Haser's steal attempt brought Briddell home to make it a 6-3 lead.
 
After a Cimino walk, Rams pitcher Sam Colaw, the third Rams pitcher of the inning, entered the game.
 
Cimino and Haser advanced to second and third due to a wild pitch. Lafferty then singled to first base to bring home Haser, and another wild pitch let Cimino touch home plate for the eighth run for the Raiders. A groundout ended the 35-minute first inning with the Raiders leading 8-3.
 
Shepherd responded with another run in its next turn, with Meaghan Ruffner hitting a single to shortstop, then advancing to third from Morgan Cave's double to left center and scoring on a sac fly from her sister Madelayne to cut the lead to four.
 
Two straight outs put the Raiders in a two-out situation in the bottom of the second, where Briddell singled through the right side to get on base. Haser singled up the middle and Cimino was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Ship. A groundout by Lafferty left the bases stranded and marked the last hit by the Raiders until the sixth inning.
 
The Rams opened the third inning with a solo home run from Moore, cutting the lead down to three runs. Collis then singled into center field, Hartman reached on a fielder's choice and stole second base. Colaw singled up the middle to bring home Hartman, marking the final run scored by either team.
 
The teams battled again defensively the rest of the way, combining for just two hits the final four innings. A fly out, pop out, and a groundout sealed the Game 2 victory for the Raiders in the top of the seventh inning.
 
Freshman Dani Hayward entered the game in the third inning and scattered three hits, one walk and one earned run in a career-high five innings to finish the game. Colaw pitched 5.2 innings for the Rams, striking out three and allowing four hits and no runs.