Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Meghan Halberstadt went a combined 4-for-6, however, Shippensburg swept both ends of a PSAC East softball doubleheader against West Chester on a sun-splashed Sunday afternoon, taking game one 9-6 and game two 7-4.
West Chester (21-15, 3-7 PSAC East) falls into fourth place in the Eastern Division standings behind East Stroudsburg in third, who was idle this weekend. The Golden Rams and Warriors square off next Saturday in a battle for the final playoff position in the division. Shippensburg (19-13, 7-3) solidifies its hold on second place behind front-runner Kutztown.
West Chester has now dropped its last eight contests, including six conference tilts.
Shippensburg scored four runs in the top of the fourth to erase a one-run deficit and take a commanding 8-5 lead in the opener. The Raiders had jumped on top with two in the first inning, just to see West Chester retaliate with three in their half. Shippensburg added two more in the second to briefly pop ahead again, 4-3. However, West Chester responded with two in the bottom of the third to take a 5-4 lead.
Samantha Ingersoll hit a two-run double in the first off the center field wall 220 feet from home plate. Kate Kmiencinski later followed with a run-scoring single to put the Rams ahead after one.
Kristin McCoy hit a two-run single through the right side in the third to give the hosts the lead again, 5-4, before Shippensburg took the lead for good in the fourth.
Shannon Padula (12-8) started and went the distance, allowing seven earned runs on 15 hits, walking three and striking out one. Kmiencinski finished 3-for-4 with the two RBI. McCoy and Ingersoll were each 2-for-4 with two RBI.
In the nightcap, Samantha Soprano (9-7) ran into trouble early, allowing all seven Shippensburg runs in the first four innings, including five of those in the first two frames. She went the distance, surrendering five earned runs on nine hits, walking five and striking out two.
West Chester put up all four of its runs in the bottom of the fourth. McCoy and Erin MacNamee each belted two-run doubles in the stanza to put the Golden Rams within reach of the Raiders. However, Shippensburg lefty, Dana Ward (2-4), held West Chester down the rest of the way.
McCoy knocked in four of West Chester's 10 runs on the afternoon, going 3-for-7 in the doubleheader.
