The Shippensburg University baseball team dropped a non-conference contest to Slippery Rock on Friday in a windy, 12-inning contest, 6-4, at Fairchild Field.
Shippensburg (7-3) quickly fell behind 3-0 in the first inning after finding themselves with the bases loaded and no outs. The subsequent three batters for Slippery Rock (1-0) each drove in a run for the early lead.
The Raiders were able to inch back into the game in the bottom of the third after junior Austin Baal (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra (Middle Tennessee State)) hit his way into scoring position with a double to left-center field. Junior Morgan Wyatt (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin (Radford)) then dropped a single into right field, allowing Baal to complete his trip around the bases.
The Rock would reclaim a three-run lead in the fourth inning after a sacrifice fly from Evan Knaus allowed Alex Robenolt to score from third base.
The scoring then halted until the bottom of the sixth, where junior Andrew Chronister (Dover, Pa./Dover Area) blasted a two-run shot over the left field wall to bring SU within one.
Freshman Mike Heckman (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township) tied the contest in the bottom of the eighth, launching his first collegiate home run over the head of the left fielder and out of the park.
The contest required extra innings, making it all the way to the 12th frame, the first 12-inning contest for Shippensburg since May 13, 2017 against Seton Hill.
Slippery Rock’s Alex Robenolt put the nail in the coffin in the 12th, with a no-doubt homer to left field.
Heckman extended his hitting streak to seven games after posting three hits. He registered multiple hits in the Raiders past four games, totaling 11 hits in that span.
Graduate Noah Nabholz (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville) got the start for SU, striking out six batters through seven innings and allowed four runs (three earned).
Redshirt-freshman Eric Bohenek (Clifton, Va./Centreville) was credited with the loss, but threw five innings of work, struck out five batters and allowed just two runs.
Shippensburg will face Slippery Rock again at Fairchild Field on Saturday for a nine-inning bout beginning at 1 p.m.
