MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Connor Blantz struck out 10 and pitched a complete game in the opener, and Conor Cook fanned eight in his own complete game performance in game two, and No. 20 Millersville swept Shepherd by scores of 5-2 and 11-2 on Friday.

Shepherd (12-10, 0-2) entered the weekend riding a nine-game winning streak but Blantz and Cook ended that and extended Millersville's (16-3, 2-0) own winning streak to nine.

"We really needed those C-G's," said Millersville head coach Jon Shehan. "With the amount of baseball we've played in the last 10 days, we needed our bullpen to get another day of rest and give us all of our options tomorrow."

At the plate, Bren Taylor and Amani Jones totaled four hits and three runs apiece, and Matthew Williams smacked two homers in game two and finished the doubleheader with seven RBIs. 

Blantz responded to a first-inning, two-run home run by allowing just two hits over the final six innings. He became the first Millersville pitcher in more than 20 years to strike out nine or more batters in four consecutive starts, and he fanned four of the final six batters. 

"He was ahead 0-2 and 1-2 on 75% of the at-bats," said Shehan. "Even the home run was an executed pitched. He located it, and the kid pulled his hands in and did a really good job hitting it out. It was really the only pitch in the entire game you could go back to and say, 'I'd like to have that one back.' He was electric today." 

It was a 2-2 game in the bottom of the fourth when Amani Jones tucked a screaming liner inside the left-field foul pole for a home run. Jones gave the Marauders some breathing room with an RBI single in the sixth. In addition to outstanding defense with three assists and two putouts at his shortstop position, Jones went 3 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs. 

"It's not just what you are seeing, with Amani, it's the things off the field as well," said Shehan. "He's a senior leader, super selfless, doing anything he can to help his teammates win. He's been flashing the later, and he's been snake-bit a little on hard-hit balls, but now you are starting to see them fall."

Millersville gave Cook plenty of early run support in game two. Sam Morris singled in a run in the first, and Taylor did the same in the second. Williams immediately followed with a two-run home run for a 4-0 lead and then repeated the feat in the fourth. Cook cruised through the first four innings, and after giving up two in the fifth, he pitched a scoreless fifth and a 1-2-3 seventh. Cook allowed just three hits and two walks and has struck out 20 batters in his last two starts, spanning 13 innings. 

"He reminds me of Jim McDade and Tad Barton, some really good arms we've had over the years, who just needed a few starts to get going," said Shehan. "He was really good today. There were a couple of at-bats we'd like to have back, but overall, two at-bats in a complete game, we'll take that." 

Taylor went 3 for 3 with a walk and three RBIs. Williams drove in five, and his third two-homer game of the season gave him a PSAC-leading nine on the season. 

"I will give Shepherd credit," said Shehan. "Their lefty did a good job with Matthew and had him between pitches with the change-up and fastball. But the difference with Matthew this year is his ability to adjust pitch-to-pitch. It's a very advanced approach, and you better locate pitches or he will hurt you."

Millersville closes its series with Shepherd Saturday in Shepherdstown.