SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team split a home Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division doubleheader against Mansfield on a warm and windy Saturday afternoon at Fairchild Field.
 
Shippensburg (22-18, 9-11 PSAC East) graduate Jaxon Dalena quieted the red-hot Mansfield (13-23, 7-3) bats that crushed seven home runs in the first two games of the weekend series, holding the Mounties to just two first inning runs in a 5-2 Game 1 win. Mansfield followed up with nine runs and a victory in the nightcap, 9-6.
 
Senior Gio Calamia led the Raiders with three hits, a double and two RBIs in the doubleheader. In the four-game weekend series, the SU centerfielder hit .563 (9-for-16) with seven driven in.
 
Graduate Carter Arbuthnot finished 2-for-5 in the doubleheader with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
 
The Raiders return to action with a road doubleheader Friday at Shepherd. First pitch of Game 1 is set for 1 p.m.
 
 
Game 1: Shippensburg 5, Mansfield 2
 
After surrendering two runs on three hits in the top of the first, Dalena quickly settled in, holding the Mounties to just two singles the rest of the way in the complete game victory.
 
The Shippensburg offense tallied single runs in the first and the second to even the score. Senior Carter Hinds drew a four-pitch walk to start the bottom of the first and scored on an RBI hit from Calamia.
 
Senior Bryce Herb manufactured a run by himself in the second. After a one-out walk, Herb stole both second and third and scored on a Mansfield throwing error.
 
Arbuthnot singled and scored on a fielder's choice to give the Raiders their first lead two innings later. SU then rallied for two more in the fifth on a sophomore Ty Sherman RBI double and a run-scoring single from sophomore Mason Morris.
 
The five runs were more than enough for Dalena, who faced the minimum five times. He also got some help from his defense, who turned a pair of inning-ending double plays behind him.
 
Dalena finished with eight punchouts and one walk. His outing marked his third consecutive complete game victory and fourth overall this season. His six total wins are two more than he had all last season.
 
Shane Stossel and Jacob Houtz stroked first-inning RBI doubles for Mansfield.
 
 
Game 2: Mansfield 9, Shippensburg 6
 
Mansfield scored nine of the first ten runs in the nightcap, rallying for four runs in back-to-back frames.
 
After plating a run in the top of the first, the Mountie offense exploded in the third and fourth innings to take a 9-1 lead.
 
Shippensburg scored its first run on a Calamia sacrifice fly, then rallied for a four-spot of their own in the fifth.
 
Arbuthnot smoked an RBI double, then Herb and freshman Evan Shoffler tacked on RBI singles to make it a 9-5 game.
 
SU plated an unearned run in the sixth, but its comeback attempt did not go any further.
 
Graduate Eric Bohenek fanned two in three scoreless innings of relief.
 
Six different Mounties had RBIs in the game, including three from Cole Serfass, who also scored a pair of runs.