The Shippensburg University softball team split its non-conference doubleheader at Wingate on Sunday afternoon. The Raiders won Game 1, 13-6, before falling to host Wingate in Game 2, 8-2, on a sunny and pleasant day at the WU Softball Complex.
Shippensburg (3-1) combined for 27 hits and 15 runs on the day. Ten different Raiders had at least one hit throughout the day. Wingate (10-6) recorded 20 hits and 14 runs.
Rilee Ehrlacher had five hits on the day. Ehrlacher recorded four singles in Game 1 and a two-run homer in Game 2.
Sarah Sabocsik and
Brie Wilmot each had four hits on the day – Sabocsik had a home run, two doubles and a single with four RBIs in the opener.
Dani Hayward got the pitching win in Game 1, striking out five batters and not allowing a hit after the fifth inning.
Shippensburg's next games will be its home opener, a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Friday vs. IUP.
Game 1: SHIP 13, WINGATE 6
The Raiders came out swinging in Game 1, recording 19 hits – the most in a game since March 15, 2023 in a 13-10 win against Frostburg State.
Sabocsik got the Raiders started in the top of the first inning with a double. Wilmot followed with an RBI single to put SU on the board first. Wingate answered in the bottom of the first with a three-run home run to give the Bulldogs the advantage.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the second, Sabocsik hit her second double of the game to give the Raiders back a one-run lead. The Bulldogs found an answer scoring two runs in the bottom of the second to make the score 5-4.
A pair of solo home runs in the top of the fourth made it 6-5.
Gianna Cimino hit her second homer of the weekend and Sabocsik made it back-to-back homers by launching her third of the weekend.
Wingate took advantage of a SU error to tie the game at six.
The Raiders broke through for five runs in the top of the sixth, collecting six hits. SU scored two after a Bulldog error then continued with three more with an RBI double from Ehrlacher and RBI singles from
Emilee Sullivan and
Lindsey Haser. The Raiders got their first lead of more than one run with the score at 11-6.
SU added more insurance in the top of the 7th. After a double from Wilmot,
Leah Schwalm added an RBI with a sacrifice fly. Ehrlacher earned her second RBI of the game with a single to shortstop to make the score 13-6.
The Raider defense closed the door with a double play and a strikeout from Hayward to ensure the win.
The trio of Sabocsik, Ehrlacher and Wilmot combined for 11 of the 19 hits for the Raiders. Sabocsik went 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and a single. Ehrlacher added four hits and two RBIs. Wilmot recorded three hits and an RBI.
Game 2: WINGATE 8, SHIP 2
The Bulldogs hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first for an early lead. Wingate added to its lead in the bottom of the third with a triple followed by a Raider error to make the score 3-0.
The Raiders had runners in scoring position after a double from Schwalm and a walk but were unable to score.
Wingate threatened to score again in the bottom of the fifth with runners on second and third. A fly ball to left fielder,
Emily Lafferty turned into a double play with a throw home to get SU out of the inning.
Schwalm started a two-out rally in the top of the sixth with her second double of the day. Ehrlacher followed with a two-run home run to cut the deficit to one.
The Bulldogs added five runs in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, with two singles and three doubles to make it 8-2. The Raiders had the bases loaded in the top of the seventh with one out, but a ground-out double play ended the game.
Schwalm (2-for-2) led the Raiders with two hits, both doubles.
Mya Parkinson pitched the first three innings for SU, recording one strikeout.
Madalyn Dyer took over in the circle in the fourth inning, striking out one batter in 2.2 innings.
Mikayla Fontana faced two batters and got the final out in the bottom of the sixth.
