The Shippensburg University softball team returned to its conference slate Friday afternoon, losing both games of a competitive doubleheader against No. 12 East Stroudsburg, 2-1 and 3-2 (eight innings), at Creekview Park.
 
Shippensburg (12-8, 1-3 PSAC East) used late-game runs to have a chance to win both games. East Stroudsburg (20-4, 4-0), fresh off a Tuesday sweep at No. 16 Kutztown, answered with late runs of its own to defeat the Raiders. SU ultimately stranded 13 runners on base in the doubleheader.
 
Junior Emilee Sullivan, who entered the day with just one hit in 17 at-bats, led the Raiders in hits on the day by going 3-for-6 at the plate. She opened the scoring on the day with a two-out RBI-single in the fifth inning of the opener.
 
Senior Alicia Ball and freshman Dani Hayward provided solid outings in the circle for Shippensburg, both striking out ten batters. It marked the first time since April 27, 2019 at Millersville that a Raider pitcher struck out 10 or more hitters in each game of a doubleheader. On that day, Tressa Kagarise and Taryn Wilson combined for 25 strikeouts.
 
Shippensburg is back in action at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bloomsburg.
 
Game 1: ESU 2, SHIP 1
 
Offense was at a premium during Game 1, as Ball locked into a pitcher's duel with ESU sophomore Sarah Davenport – who entered the day with the second-most strikeouts in the country. Neither team had an extra-base hit.
 
The two teams combined to strike out 15 times and total just four hits through the first four innings. After Ball stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth with bases loaded, the top of the fifth inning saw the Raiders strike first.
 
A leadoff single by sophomore Brie Wilmot gave the Raiders their second hit of the afternoon. Sophomore Ryan Morse pinch ran for Wilmot. A stolen base for Morse was sandwiched between two strikeouts, giving the Raiders two outs. Sullivan hit a single that brought home Morse and gave Ship a 1-0 lead.
 
Six straight outs moved the game to the bottom of the sixth, where ESU responded. A single and three walks in four at-bats brought home the first Warrior run, then an RBI single gave East Stroudsburg a 2-1 lead after six. Ball again stranded the bases loaded to get out of the inning.
 
Shippensburg got the potential tying run on base in the seventh with a walk by Wilmot. Sullivan hit a two-out single, her second of the game, to move Wilmot to second base, but a fly out ended Game 1 with the hosts prevailing.
 
Both pitchers threw complete games. Ball threw six innings and struck out 10 batters, her third time this season and the seventh in her career with double-digit strikeouts. She scattered five hits, six walks, and two runs in the loss.
 
Davenport, the 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-American, picked up the complete-game win and finished with 13 strikeouts. She scattered just four walks and four hits.
 
SU has now faced three of the nation's Top 5-ranked pitchers this season in strikeouts per seven innings – Davenport (fourth, 10.9 K/7), Shepherd's Madelayne Ruffner (first, 12.5 K/7) and Pace's Gisselle Garcia (second, 11.4 K/7).
 
Game 2: ESU 3, SHIP 2 (8 innings)
 
Game 2 started with a leadoff single from sophomore Emily Lafferty, who then stole second. A single from sophomore Reagan Bauman advanced Lafferty to third base, where a sacrifice fly into center field by junior Caitlyn Martell brought home Lafferty to give the Raiders the early 1-0 lead.
 
Sophomore Sarah Sabocsik then doubled to put two runners in scoring position with only one out, but the Raiders could not scratch another run across in the inning. SU opened the second with back-to-back singles, chasing Warrior starter Meadow Lake, but again could not score.
 
ESU responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the second, the first of which was a solo home run from Abigail Weirich that tied the game at one apiece. ESU scored another run on a two-out error to take the lead. Hayward entered in relief of senior Katelyn Minney to get the final out of the second.
 
The next four innings were reminiscent of Game 1, as both teams combined for only three hits and two walks. Hayward retired six-in-a-row at one point, including striking out the side in the fourth.
 
Down a run entering the top of the seventh inning, junior Lindsey Haser opened with a leadoff double to immediately enter scoring position as the game-tying run. A single from Lafferty gave enough time for Haser to race home, tying the game at 2-2. Lafferty was then caught stealing, marking the only time in 20 attempts this season she was thrown out on the base paths.
 
Hayward retired the side in the bottom of the seventh – two via strikeout – to send the game into extra innings. Sabocsik reached on an error to start the top of the eighth before a flyout and a double play ended the inning.
 
ESU walked it off in the home half on a leadoff single, an error, and a Tulana Mingin RBI-single.
 
Hayward was spectacular in relief. In 5.1 innings she struck out a career-high 10 batters while scattering just three hits and one walk. She only allowed two base runners prior to extra innings and doubled her previous career high of five strikeouts set 10 days ago at Bowie State.