LHU Softball rallies for game-two victory, earns split with Shippensburg

LOCK HAVEN – The Lock Haven softball team (11-19, 7-11 PSAC East) rallied for a huge Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East victory in game two against Shippensburg (23-9, 12-6 PSAC East), downing the Raiders, 6-1, to earn a doubleheader split on Tuesday afternoon (April 9) at Lawrence Field. Lock Haven fell 6-3 in the opener.

Tuesday’s doubleheader also served as the program’s Military Appreciation Day to honor individuals who have and are currently serving in the Military.

With the split, the Bald Eagles remain in the thick of the PSAC East postseason race and sit in a tie in the win column for the fifth spot.

The Bald Eagles have won three of their last four games after sweeping Bloomsburg on Sunday (April 7).

Game 1 Recap: Shippensburg 6, Lock Haven 3

In game one, Shippensburg started the scoring with a solo run in the top of the first.

The Raiders extended their lead to 3-0 with two runs in the top of the third, but Lock Haven countered with three runs over its following two at-bats to knot the game at 3-3.

Hailey Irwin (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) and Riley McClellan (Granville Summit, Pa./Troy) (2B) highlighted the third and fourth-inning Bald Eagle rally with RBIs.

However, Shippensburg used a three-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to go back on top, 6-3, before successfully retiring the Bald Eagles during the ensuing two frames to steal the victory.

Keiva Middleton (Willow Street, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) landed the no-decision, as she pitched the opening two innings (3 runs, 2 earned) before handing the ball to Madison Waltman (Turbotville, Pa./Warrior Run).

Waltman held the Raiders off the scoreboard for three innings until the home run, adding one strikeout in four innings of work. Kinley Gioglio (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) pitched a scoreless seventh inning in relief.

Both schools finished with seven hits in the game. For Lock Haven, Morgan Karasek (Bangor, Pa./Bangor) went 2-for-3, while McClellan doubled, scored twice and drove in a run.

Game 2 Recap: Shippensburg 6, Lock Haven 1

In the nightcap, Lock Haven struck first after Irwin drove in a run with a to put the Bald Eagles on top, 1-0, in the first inning.

In the bottom of the third, Schmitt smoked two-run line-drive home run down the left field line, extending the Bald Eagles lead to 3-0.

Shippensburg cut the deficit to 3-1 with a solo shot in the top of the fourth, but Lock Haven extended its lead to 6-1 after a three-run fifth inning thanks to a two-RBI double by Delaney Good (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) and an RBI single by Irwin.

The lead proved to be enough for Lock Haven, as game two starting pitcher Faith Persing (Montgomery, Pa./Bloomsburg) shut the door from there to earn the victory.

Persing was lights out in the circle, tossing all seven innings and allowing just one run on two hits. Persing added four strikeouts and notched her team-leading eighth victory on the season.

On offense, Good, Irwin and Schmitt all drove in a pair of runs, while Good doubled twice and Schmitt homered.

Next up for Lock Haven:

The Bald Eagles visit West Chester on Friday (April 12) at 2 and 4 p.m. for a PSAC East doubleheader.