The No. 19-ranked Shippensburg University softball team swept its season-opening doubleheader at Catawba on Saturday, defeating the hosts by scores of 7-3 and 9-5 in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Shippensburg (2-0) erupted for 22 hits and 16 runs on the day. The Raiders smashed six home runs on the day, with two in game one and four in game two. Catawba (10-7) recorded 15 hits and eight runs on the day.
Leah Schwalm and Brie Wilmot led the Raider offense with five hits on the day. Schwalm opened her career as a Raider with a triple, double, and three singles.
Wilmot reached base six times overall – including a 4-for-4 performance in Game 2 that included a three-run homer.
Sarah Sabocsik matched her entire 2025 home run total in Game 2 with a pair of solo shots.
Shippensburg remains in North Carolina tomorrow and will face Wingate at noon in a doubleheader at the WU Softball Complex.
Game 1: SHIP 7, CATAWBA 3
Caitlyn Martell put the Raiders on the board right away with a first inning solo shot on the first pitch of the season. It was the 25th home run of her career.
Rilee Ehrlacher and Schwalm hit back-to-back singles to open the second inning. Schwalm's single marked the first of her Raider career. With two Raiders in scoring position, Emilee Sullivan drove a single down the left field line to increase the SU lead to two. Catawba came within striking distance in the bottom of the second but was held by the Raider defense.
Gianna Cimino launched a solo shot in the fifth inning – the fifth of her career, to make it 3-0.
A three-run top of the sixth catapulted the Raiders ahead. With one out and two Raiders on base, Lindsey Haser doubled to left field to score a run. Sabocsik singled up the middle to score two more runs and make it 7-0.
Catawba got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to cut the deficit to six. A late spark from Catawba that included a home run and an RBI single ended the game at 7-3.
Dani Hayward provided a strong seven innings in the circle. The sophomore struck out four batters and had only given up one hit until the bottom of the sixth.
Sullivan went two-for-three, recording two singles and an RBI.
Game 2: SHIP 9, CATAWBA 5
After back-to-back walks with one out in the top of the first, Wilmot slammed a three-run home run to give the Raiders the first lead. Saboscik hit a solo shot in the top of the third to put SU up by three. Schwalm picked up her first career double and an RBI in the third to make it 5-1.
Catawba's Brianna Gallagher answered with a three-run home run in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to one. Catawba tied the game at five after a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly.
In the top of the fifth, Schwalm got her third hit of the game – a triple to center field that scored Wilmot and put SU back in the lead.
The top of the seventh opened with the second solo shot of the game from Saboscik. After a single from Wilmot,
Reagan Bauman added her third career home run and increased the SU lead to four.
Mya Parkinson got her first career start and win in the circle for the Raiders. Parkinson went the distance and recorded one strikeout.
Wilmot, Schwalm and Sabocsik combined for nine of the 11 Raider hits in the game.
