Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Williamston, N.C. - After being blanked 2-0 by Indiana (Pa.) in the first of two games Saturday, Millersville retaliated by shutting out Le Moyne 6-0 behind seven sterling innings from Chris Murphy and clutch hitting from Dan Johnson. 

Millersville's (5-2) starting pitchers of Murphy (2-1) and Jim McDade combined for 12 shutout innings and allowed only five hits. Murphy was well supported by his offense in game two, but McDade exited after five shutout innings in game one with the score tied at 0-0. 

After going nine innings without a run against IUP, Millersville struck in the first inning against Le Moyne when Johnson blooped a single just inside the right field line. Zach Stone, who was moving on contact with two outs, scored from first. The 1-0 lead held up with Murphy on the hill. 

He escaped a rocky bottom of the first in which he surrendered a two-out walk and single. In the third inning, Murphy walked the lead off hitter and the second batter reached on a catcher interference call. But with two on and no outs, Murphy received some help from his defense. Freshman Chas McCormick saved a run and extra-base hit with a diving snare in left-center. David Pine threw out a runner trying to swipe second, and Murphy took care of the the third out with one of his season-high eight strikeouts. Murphy retired the next 10 Le Moyne hitters.

Millersville clutched to its one-run advantage until a four-run seventh. With runners on second and third and two outs, Le Moyne opted to intentionally walk Stone. Johnson made the Dolphins pay by lacing a double into the right-center field gap. Two runs scored, and Stone and Johnson later scored on a Le Moyne throwing error. 

Le Moyne threatened in the seventh by loading the bases on a hit by pitch, single and walk. Murphy, however, stranded all three bases runners by inducing a fly out. McCormick picked up a RBI by legging out a two-out, infield single in the eighth, and Sean Stephenson and Steve Ghiardi worked scoreless innings out of the bullpen to secure the win. 

Johnson finished with three hits and three RBIs. Tyler Orris, who was bumped from the leadoff spot into the eight-hole for the game, went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. Murphy surrendered tw hits, three walks and two hit batsmen in his seven innings. Ryan Davis (0-2) took the loss after allowing a run on two hits and six walks in six innings. 

McDade gave Millersville perhaps the best outing of his career against IUP but ended up with a no decision. He was out-dueled by Kyle Zaorski, who defeated the Marauders in March of last season by allowing one run and striking out 12 in seven innings. Zaorski fanned nine in six innings this time around. Millersville is now 3-9 against IUP since 2012 and has lost seven of the last eight meetings. 

The two hits mustered were the fewest by a Millersville team since March 18, 2011. Dan Stoltzfus and Tyler McDonald provided the two singles. 

The scoreless tie was snapped in the seventh against freshman Brandon Miller (1-1).  A single and catcher interference call put two Crimson Hawk runners on base with one out. Stone threw out a runner at the plate to preserve the tie, but a wild pitch with Rick Jones at the plate put IUP on top. IUP pieced together three consecutive two-out singles in the eighth inning to pad the lead to two. Just as the Marauders could not crack Zaorski, they couldn't crack the bullpen. Aaron Mock and Ryan Uhl combined for three innings of scoreless work, and Uhl picked up the save. 

Millersville plays Sunday afternoon in Williamston, N.C. against Tiffin. First pitch is 1:30 p.m.  


mustered just two hits