SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team clinched the season series against No. 18 West Chester by splitting a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division doubleheader Saturday at Fairchild Field.
 
Shippensburg (23-12, 10-6 PSAC East) dropped Game 1, 13-4, before posting a thrilling come-from-behind victory over West Chester (24-8, 10-6) in Game 2. The Raiders overcame a grand slam and a three-run deficit to win by a 7-6 final score.
 
AJ Wenrich batted .625 (5-for-8) over the course of the doubleheader and began the game-winning rally with a leadoff double in the sixth inning of Game 2.
 
Ty Sherman scored the game-winning run for Shippensburg and continued a torrid weekend overall at the plate by hitting .500 (4-for-8) Saturday with two runs scored.
 
Kyle Ausgotharp was key during the SU comeback in Game 2, blasting a two-run home run in the fifth inning as part of a 3-for-7 (.429), two run, three-RBI day.
 
Shippensburg returns to action Friday when it welcomes East Stroudsburg to Fairchild Field for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
 
Game 1: West Chester 13, Shippensburg 4
 
The Golden Ram bats took advantage of a jet stream blowing out to left field at Fairchild Field Saturday, blasting six home runs in the opener to back a compete game effort from starting pitcher Kyle Lazer (7 IP, 4 ER, 8 K).
 
WCU's Caleb Strawhecker went deep twice, finishing 2-for-3 with four runs scored.
 
Drew Simpson homered as one of his four hits (4-for-5). Hunter Smith also homered, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
 
The Raiders got to within one of the Golden Rams, 5-4, following a two-run single off the bat of Brady Harbach in the home half of the third.
 
The Golden Rams responded with eight unanswered runs to put the game out of reach.
 
Thomas Cano-Piszel extended his hitting streak to 18 games with an RBI single in Game 1. The streak came to an end in Game 2.
 
Kaleb Maksimik posted three strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. Brenden Anderson took down 3.1 innings out of the Shippensburg 'pen.
 
Game 2: Shippensburg 7, West Chester 6
 
Shippensburg jumped out to an initial 3-1 lead in the nightcap. Ausgotharp began his three-RBI performance in Game 2 with a second-inning RBI single. Evan Shoffler and Will Oates added RBI singles as part of a two-run Raider rally in the fourth.
 
West Chester turned the game on its head with a five-spot in the top of the fifth. The Golden Rams scored those runs on only one hit, and all of them came with two outs in the frame.
 
Three walks and a hit batter resulted in a run. With the bases still loaded, Smith stepped to the plate and cranked his second home run of the day, a no-doubt shot to left on a 3-2 count to give the visitors a 6-3 lead.
 
SU began to battle back in its next turn, with Ausgotharp hammering a missile over the fence to straightway center with a runner on to quickly cut into the deficit, 6-5.
 
Wenrich smashed a double off the top of the right center field fence to start the sixth. Sherman followed with a hit and later swiped second to put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position.
 
Cano-Pizsel and Harbach came through with an RBI groundout and a sac fly to put the Raiders in front, 7-6.
 
Jack Robinson retired the Golden Rams in order to notch his seventh save, punctuating the outing by striking out WCU's No. 3-hitter Austin Stalker.  
 
Bryce Amos successfully regrouped after surrendering the slam, striking out the side in order in the top of the sixth and eventually picking up the victory.
 
Starting pitcher Brady Kain allowed just one run in four innings pitched. He finished with three punchouts.
 
The Raiders out-hit the Golden Rams 14-to-2 in the contest. Wenrich and Ausgotharp each contributed three hits, while Sherman, Mason Morris and Jake Pope finished with two apiece.
 

BASEBALL: Another 💣from Kyle Ausgotharp! pic.twitter.com/nRj8Luc4nj

— Shippensburg University Raiders (@ShipURaiders) April 11, 2026

 

BASEBALL: After an AJ Wenrich double and a Ty Sherman single (and steal) to start the bottom of the sixth, Thomas Cano-Piszel gets one in on a groundout and Brady Harbach hits a sacrifice fly. It's 7-6 SHIP late in Game 2! pic.twitter.com/YxydZuz56p

— Shippensburg University Raiders (@ShipURaiders) April 11, 2026

 

BASEBALL: SHIP 7, #18 WCU 6 (F-G2).

Jack Robinson strikes out Austin Stalker as the Raiders earn a Saturday split and a 3-1 series victory over the Golden Rams! pic.twitter.com/DHVefR0u4n

— Shippensburg University Raiders (@ShipURaiders) April 11, 2026