SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - It was a match-up of the top-two run-scoring lineups in the Atlantic Region. Millersville scored two in the first inning but could not keep pace with Shepherd, which won 14-6 for its 12th consecutive victory.
Shepherd has now scored nine or more runs in seven of its last eight games and has not lost since Feb. 15, improving to 13-7 on the season. Millersville dropped to 13-6 and has lost two in a row after a 10-game winning streak.
Millersville totaled 10 hits including three from
Kaylor Kulina and two from
Ben Snyder. The difference came in Shepherd's nine walks and its ability to score 14 runs on just 11 hits. Marauder freshman
Alex Mykut made his first career start and was knocked out after giving up six runs on eight hits in 2 1/3 innings. Millersville used seven pitchers.
"[Mykut] is going to learn from it," said Millersville head coach
Jon Shehan. "He could be a fifth starter and see that team in the regional. This field is built for offense. It's fast, there is little foul ground and it's small. You don't get any mistakes back. The bottom line is, we can't give out free passes in that ballpark."
Millersville opened a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI single from
Luke Trainer and a sacrifice fly from
Jimmy Losh. Shepherd, however, started the bottom of the inning with four consecutive singles and added a two-out double for a 3-2 lead. Kulina evened the score momentarily in the top of the second with a run-scoring single, but Shepherd quickly retook the lead with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning. The Rams opened the lead with two more in the third and then tacked on seven in the sixth on just two hits--one of which was Trent Burgreen's grand slam which came immediately after three walks and a hit batsmen.
Eric Callahan capped Millersville's scoring with a three-run home run in the seventh.
"We have the capability to score a lot of runs in a short amount of time," said Shehan. "The pitching has to do a better job and give the offense a chance. We swung the bat fine. We had some opportunities that we didn't capitalize on early. If we do that, maybe that changes the feeling of the game late."
Kyle Peterson,
Jacob Paulishak and
Brandon Nickel all made their first appearances of the season.
"It was positive to get those three in the game, all of them coming off of surgery coming off surgery," said Shehan. "That was a big milestone for them and hopefully there are some more positives from them down the road."
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Callhan's home run was his second of the season.
• Kulina has recorded two or more hits in eight of his last 11 games.
• Snyder extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
•
Noah Hartwell gave up one hit and one walk in 1 2/3 innings. Paulishak, struck out two of three batters he faced in his mound debut.
Brandon Nickel struck out one in his Marauder debut.
NOTES
• Millersville is now 22-11 all-time against Shepherd. Millersville won the 2018 NCAA Atlantic Regional match-up 5-4 in 11 innings. It was the first regular season meeting since March 5, 2017.
UP NEXT
• Millersville opens PSAC East play Saturday at Cooper Park against Bloomsburg. The PSAC East games at Bloomsburg, regularly scheduled for Friday, have been moved to Sunday at 1 p.m.
FOLLOW THE MARAUDERS
•
Be the first to know what's going on with the Marauders -- Follow @VilleMarauders on Twitter and Instagram, become a fan of Millersville Athletics on Facebook, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To support the Marauders, join the Black & Gold Club.
