MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Millersville head coach Jon Shehan admitted that it was a long, frustrating bus trip home from Shippensburg following Friday's one-run loss in which the Marauders kicked it around on defense and didn't hit with runners in scoring position. But Millersville responded in a big way Saturday, routing the Raiders by scores of 9-0 and 9-3 to take the PSAC East series two games to one. 

Jeff Taylor and Conor Cook both delivered arguably their best outings of the season in halting Shippensburg's eight-game winning streak. The two Marauder starters pitched a season-high 6 1/3 innings. Taylor fanned a season-high nine without allowing a run, and Cook recovered from a rocky first two batters and did not allow a run the rest of the way. 

Chase Simmons' Friday at the plate was one to forget, but Saturday's performance was one to remember. He hit a home run in both games of the doubleheader, including a two-out, three-run blast in the bottom of the second that got the Marauders rolling. Jimmy Losh went 4-for-7 with two walks and four runs scored in the two games. Thomas Caufield hit a game two homer and finished 4-for-6 with a pair of walks. 

Millersville improved to 24-8 overall and 10-2 in PSAC East play with Saturday's sweep. 

GAME ONE
• After going 1-for-8 with runners at third base Friday, the Marauders started game one with similar struggles, leaving Losh at second in the first, and after the first two batters reached in the second, the next two batters were retired. But Simmons ended the troubles, hitting a towering homer into the pines in left. Losh tripled in a run in the fifth, Keegan Soltis singled in a pair, and Cole Houser singled in another for a five-run inning. Bren Taylor doubled home Simmons in the sixth to cap Millersville's scoring. 
• After Ship threatened with a pair of runners in each of the first two innings, Jeff Taylor settled in and cruised. He struck out the side in the third and gave up just two hits over his final 4 1/3 innings. He issued just one walk.  

GAME TWO
• The top four hitters in Millersville's lineup dominated game note, as Losh, Taylor, Caufield and Luke Trainer combined for 10 of the team's 13 hits, six of the eight RBIs and eight of the nine runs. Caufield and Taylor both went 3-for-5 with a home run. Losh reached base four times from his leadoff spot with two singles and two walks. Simmon's second home run of the day came in the sixth. 
• Shippensburg started the game with a single and a double, but Cook minimized the damage. With the infield pulled in, Ben Werkheiser lined to short. Cook then got a pop out to first and a strike out to end the inning. It took no time for the Millersville bats to respond, as Caufield, the third batter of the inning, plated Losh with an RBI groundout. Trainer followed with an RBI single, and Tyler Wright pushed home Trainer with a groundout for a 3-1 lead. Caufield struck again in the second with his two-run homer. 
• Working with a lead, Cook stayed in full control of the Raider bats for his next five-plus innings, even navigating a 25-minute rain delay. He gave up just one hit after the second and retired the first batter he faced in the seventh before handing the ball to Christian Wingard. Cook exited with one run allowed on five hits and a walk with two strikeouts. 

POSTGAME REACTION FROM COACH JON SHEHAN
• On Simmons' home runs: "I will be honest. I was up really late thinking if we should sit him or play him and came to the conclusion that he's our best defender. We knew before he had a rough stretch and came out of it with a big day. If we are going to be at our best, Chase is going to be in the lineup and contribute. He didn't do anything different. He just went up, got a couple good pitches to hit and didn't miss them."
• On the outings from Taylor and Cook: "Jeff came to a point this week where he had to make a decision if he wanted it. He came out and what a great outing. He looked like Jeff Taylor and Cook looked like Cook today. Hopefully that is the turning point for them where they can put some consistent performances together."
• On the importance of winning two at home: "It's huge. We had a rough day yesterday. We beat ourselves pretty good last night on the road home. It was great to see these guys bounce back."

NOTES
• Millersville has now won four-straight season series against Shippensburg. 
• Caufield's game one homer moved him past Eric Callahan and into sole possession of the Millersville single-season record for home runs by a shortstop. His game two home run put him a tie with current Houston Astros outfielder Chas McCormick for 10th on Millersville's single-season home run list. 
• With career RBI No. 158, Trainer moved into a tie with Zach Stone for third most all-time. He is also just five hits shy of 200 for his career. 

UP NEXT
• Millersville and Shippensburg meet Saturday for a doubleheader at Cooper Park. First pitch is at 12 p.m.