SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – As it had done in five of the previous six games, the East Stroudsburg University softball team came from behind to take a lead, but today it could not maintain the advantage, falling to Shippensburg narrowly in both games of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Robb Field. The Warriors (5-3, 2-2 PSAC East) dropped game one to the Raiders (4-4, 3-3 PSAC East) by a score of 6-5 and game two by a mark of 10-7.

ESU overcame a 4-2 deficit to take a 5-4 lead in the opening game and scored seven unanswered runs in game two to take a 7-6 advantage, but was unable to maintain the lead on the scoreboard after seven innings in both contests.    

Lexy Wright (2-for-5) and Ashley Spencer (3-run HR) each recorded three RBIs to lead the Warrior offense on the day. Spencer smacked ESU's first home run of the season in the fifth inning of game two to lift ESU to a 7-6 lead over Shippensburg.

Reilly Vicendese (4-for-8, 2B) and Molly Nies plated two RBIs each. Marissa Govan thumped two doubles on her three hits in the twin bill.  

GAME ONE

ESU waisted no time in putting a tally on the scoreboard in the third game of the weekend series, as Molly Nies led the day off with a triple to right field. Kaitlyn Caleen would drive her in later on in the inning with a one-out ground out for the RBI.

The Warriors added to its lead in its next at bats, as a two-out rally began with a Rachel Seiverd walk. Wright followed up with a double to right center and Seiverd scored on the play from first base to extend the Warriors' lead to two runs.

In each of the next four innings, the Raiders were able to push across a run. ESU was held to just two hits in the third, fourth and fifth innings, as Ship led ESU, 4-2, after five frames.

Nies was able to tie the game on a two-RBI single to center field in the top of the 6th. Vicendes followed in the next at bat with an RBI double to score Wright, as the Warriors grabbed the lead back from Ship at 5-4.

The lead did not last long for ESU, as a single and a Warrior error on the same play resulted in two runs with two outs in the bottom of the 6th. Shippensburg would take a 6-5 advantage heading into possibly ESU's last at bats.

The Warriors went down in order, unable to comeback from this time around, falling 6-5 to snap a five-game winning streak.

GAME TWO

The Warriors fell behind 4-0 in the opening inning, behind five hits from the Raider offense. SU was able to pad its advantage to 6-0 in the bottom of the 2nd, due to a bases-loaded walk followed by a single with the bases still juiced.

As it had previously done in every game except the opener this season, ESU began its comeback with a single run in the top of 3rd. Vicendes was able to single home Govan, who reached base via a double.

The Warriors slowly cut into the deficit, adding two runs in the top of the 4th. Wright was able to send a single up the middle to score Sofia Cecchin and Spencer to make it a 6-3 contest.

With ESU not allowing a run to cross home plate for the second consecutive inning in the fourth frame, the Warriors would plate a run on a throwing error from the Raiders to make it a 6-4 contest.

On the next play, Spencer smacked a 3-run home run over the left field fence, as ESU scored seven unanswered runs to snatch a 7-6 advantage on the scoreboard.

In Shippensburg's next at bats in the bottom of the 5th, a walk, error and hit by pitch set up Hannah Marstellar for a grand slam to lift SU back to a 10-7 advantage.  

The Warriors put a runner on base in the top of the 7th, but failed to advance her. As a result, ESU dropped the second game of the doubleheader to Shippensburg, 10-7.

ESU returns to Creekview Park on Monday to face Holy Family in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch of game one is slated for 2:00 p.m.