SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - No. 20 Millersville took game one from Shepherd 6-3 behind three hits from
Jimmy Kirk, and
Sam Morris' eighth-inning sacrifice fly helped Millersville to a 7-6, come-from-behind win in game two, completing a four-game series sweep to start PSAC East play.
Millersville, now 18-3 (4-0), has won 11 in a row for the first time since 2022 and has won 16 consecutive games against Shepherd. It is also the fourth consecutive season that Millersville has started PSAC East play with a sweep.
"It's hard to sweep anyone in this league," said Millersville head coach
Jon Shehan. "Shepherd is much-improved this year. They have a few guys who can really pitch. We are going to enjoy the sweep and take a day or two off."
Before Saturday, Shepherd was 9-0 at home, and both games were battles for the Marauders as they rallied from deficits twice. Millersville trailed 3-1 entering game one's fifth inning. Kirk followed a single and a Shepherd error with a three-run homer, giving the Marauders a 4-3 lead.
Alex Kuehn pitched five steady innings before handing the ball to
Evan Rishell, who struck out three in two perfect innings.
Bren Taylor produced three hits and two runs for the second consecutive game.
Matthew Williams went 2 for 4.
The game two rally was more dramatic. Millersville led 5-0 after
Garet Blankenbiller tossed five shutout innings. But in the bottom of the sixth, Shepherd scored six on four hits and four walks. The Marauders responded in the top of the seventh. With Williams on second base,
Xavier Smith's hard-hit grounder bounced into right field and Williams scored to even the game.
Williams went to the mound in the bottom of the inning, and Shepherd threatened, putting runners on the corners before Williams caught Ethan Burgreen looking for a strikeout. In the eighth,
Donis Rodriguez was hit by a pitch,
Jeff Sabater drew a walk, and
Hunter Stevens bunted for a hit to load the bases. With one out, Morris lifted a two-strike slider to right field that was just deep enough for the speedy Rodriguez to tag and score.
"Sam didn't have a great game one, and we chatted briefly between games about staying present," said Shehan. "He responded. That was a monster A-B, especially after the K with no outs. It was hit just hard enough to get it done."
Shepherd put a runner on base in the bottom of the eighth, but again, Williams closed the door on a Shepherd rally, getting Jake Fix to ground out to
Amani Jones at shortstop.
"I'm proud of our group for being relentless," said Shehan. "We talk about it a lot. Pitching coaches should be exhausted after a weekend with our club. From inning one of game one today, we didn't have our best day. Good teams find a way to win when they're not at their best.
Xavier Smith struggled defensively early, and ended up getting the knock to tie the game in the seventh. This is a gritty group."
UP NEXT
Millersville returns to Cooper Park on March 28 for a PSAC East doubleheader against Shippensburg.
