The Shippensburg University baseball team overcame adverse weather conditions to earn a season-high 15 runs and a victory against the sixth-ranked West Chester Golden Rams in the series finale on Friday at Fairchild Field, with a score of 15-10.
Shippensburg, with a record of 13-7 and 1-2 in PSAC, staged two comebacks, scoring five or more runs each time. They erased a three-run deficit with six runs in the bottom of the fifth, and then broke a 10-10 tie with a five-run outburst in the eighth inning to clinch the win. The Raiders had 12 hits in the game, and capitalized on eight walks by West Chester. Sophomore centerfield Gio Calamia played a pivotal role in both rallies, contributing five RBIs and going 3-for-5 on the day.
West Chester, with a record of 10-4 and 2-1 in PSAC, helped Shippensburg’s cause by issuing eleven walks after taking an early 7-3 lead. John DeMucci, the designated hitter for the Golden Rams, scored twice and drove in two runs, going 3-for-4 on the day.
Shippensburg started chipping away at the 7-3 deficit in the bottom of the fourth when junior Joe Barbera scored on a wild pitch, making it a three-run game. The Raiders continued their fight in the fifth inning, with their first four hitters reaching base, including three walks. Jaxon Dalena drew a free pass with the bases loaded to drive in a run, and Barbera added another bases loaded walk later in the inning to reduce the deficit to one. Calamia then hit a bloop single to center that scored two runs, making it 8-7 in favor of the Raiders. A two-run error by West Chester capped off the Raiders’ six-run fifth inning.
Shippensburg’s pitchers struggled with command in the wet weather during the top of the seventh, allowing West Chester to counter with three runs to tie the game. However, the Raiders responded with a five-run rally in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead, with Dalena hitting a two-run single to center, Barbera driving in an additional run with a bunt single, and Calamia hitting a sharply hit single to right center to score two more.
Shippensburg’s junior Austen LaBarre struck out two during a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the victory for redshirt-freshman Eric Bohenek, who pitched two scoreless innings in relief of starting pitcher graduate Noah Nabholz (2.2 IP) and junior Jackson LoBianco (3.1 IP). Graduate Justin Byler had three hits, totaling seven hits in the three-game set, and Dalena finished with three RBIs and three runs scored.
The Raiders will return to Fairchild Field on Tuesday for a nine-inning game against the Wilmington Wildcats at 3 p.m.
