The Shippensburg University baseball team rallied in the ninth but fell short against No. 24-ranked Seton Hill in a nonleague matchup Tuesday afternoon at the SHU Baseball Complex, 4-3.
 
Shippensburg (17-6) trailed 4-2 entering the final frame before putting runners on first and second with a run in and nobody out but failed to push the tying run across.
 
Kyle Ausgotharp began SU's ninth-inning rally by drawing a leadoff walk. Thomas Cano-Piszel then beat out an infield single, and a wild throw allowed Ausgotharp to advance to third.
 
Lucas Ream followed with line drive single to right to score Ausgotharp, making it a one run game.
 
Seton Hill (17-5) then summoned right-hander Christian Zilli from the bullpen. Zilli retired the next two batters, recording a strikeout followed by a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.
 
The Griffins came back from a two-run deficit themselves, taking the lead thanks to a three-run third inning rally and later adding an all-important insurance run to set the stage for the dramatic finish.
 
Zach McLean did the bulk of the work out of the SHU bullpen, coming on in the second inning and delivering 6.2 innings of scoreless baseball to earn the win.
 
Bryce Amos started for Shippensburg and allowed three runs (two earned) in four innings of work.
 
Jacob Dennis, Jonah Mayer and Nathan Lake pitched well out of the SU 'pen, combining for just one run allowed over four frames. 
 
AJ Wenrich clubbed an opposite field line drive over the fence in the top of the first to give SU an initial 2-0 edge.
 
The Raiders also loaded the bases with one out in the second but did not score.
 
Cano-Piszel and Jake Pope finished with two hits apiece. Evan Shoffler and Brady Harbach both doubled.
 
Jack Whalen went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored for Seton Hill.
 
The Raiders return to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division play when they host Bloomsburg for a doubleheader Friday at Fairchild Field starting at 1 p.m.
 

BASEBALL: AJ goes OPPO to give the Raiders an early lead at #24 Seton Hill! 💣

SHIP 2, SHU 0 (B1) pic.twitter.com/J1LuBL1Usi

— Shippensburg University Raiders (@ShipURaiders) March 24, 2026

 

BASEBALL: Lucas lines an RBI single as the Raiders attempt to rally their way back in the ninth!💪

SHU 4, SHIP 3 (T9) pic.twitter.com/Dkear7CNJJ

— Shippensburg University Raiders (@ShipURaiders) March 24, 2026