SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - Trailing 6-1, Millersville stormed from behind to beat Shepherd 9-6 in Saturday's opener, and the Marauders then completed the series sweep by breaking a ninth-inning tie and escaping a bases-loaded jam to win, 6-5.
Millersville extended its winning streak to seven and earned its third sweep of a PSAC East opponent to 29-8 overall and 13-2 in PSAC East play. The Marauders own six more total wins than any other team in the PSAC and now boast a 3 1/2 game lead in the East.
GAME ONE
• Shepherd's four runs in the third boosted its lead to 6-1, but Millersville charged back, scoring seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth,
Thomas Caufield led off with a double,
Luke Trainer singled and
Keegan Soltis followed with an RBI single. One batter later,
Tyler Wright singled in two to bring the Marauders within two. Sheperd's lead was fully erased in the fifth. Soltis drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the deficit to one, and with two outs,
Justin Taylor hit a bouncer that deflected off the first baseman's glove. Two runs scored on the miscue, and Wright made the Rams pay further, as he looped a single into left, bringing Soltis home from third and giving Millersville an 8-6 lead. Caufield gave Millersville an insurance run in the seventh with a leadoff home run--his 10th of the season.
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Jimmy Losh, Caufield, and Wright all recorded two hits. Caufield finished with a double, a home run, a sacrifice fly and two RBIs. Wright drove in three runs.
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Nate Young (5-0) entered in the fourth and blanked the Rams for four innings. He struck out five and did not give up a hit.
GAME TWO
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Justin Taylor's solo homer in the second put Millersville on the board, and Millersville built its lead to 4-0 before the Rams turned the finish into a nail-biter. Shepherd's Ryan Mulhall homered in the eight to tie the score at 4-4 and the next two batters drew walks. But
Christian Wingard struck two in a row and left both runners on base with an inning-ending ground out. Millersville retook the lead in the ninth, though, and all of the scoring came with two outs. Back-to-back singles from
Bren Taylor and Caufield got the Marauders started, and Trainer hit the first pitch he saw into left to put Millersville back on top. Soltis followed with a single to right. That extra run proved crucial, as Shepherd did not go quietly in the bottom of the ninth.
• Millersville's relievers ran into control issues and a four-pitch walk, a single and a bases-loaded walk loaded the bases for Mulhall.
Sam Morris struck hom out looking for the inning's first out, but then walked Peyton Mason in an eight-pitch at-bat, putting the winning run at second base. Morris, however, rose to the occasion with a strike out and fly out for his fifth save.
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Bren Taylor reached base five times, going 4-for-4 with a walk, run and an RBI. Trainer plated three runs in 2-for-5 effort.
• After starting the season 6-0,
Ben Wilchacky took a no decision in his fourth-consecutive start. He allowed three runs on five hits over five innings.
UP NEXT
• Millersville steps out of conference play to host a doubleheader against Salem on Wednesday, April 20. Game time is 1:30 p.m.
