NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The big, run-scoring hit eluded the Wilmington University baseball team on Tuesday afternoon as they fell to nonconference foe Shippensburg, 8-2, at Wilson Field as the Wildcats picked up nine hits but left 12 men on base.
The loss was the third in a row for the Wildcats (12-10) and sixth in their last eight games overall. Shippensburg (19-11) won for its fifth time in a row and seventh time in its last eight games overall.
Wilmington took a 1-0 lead after the first inning, but left a runner in scoring position in what would end up being the theme of the contest. Jordan Johnson led off the game for the Wildcats by getting plunked by a pitch. Two batters later, Joe Harbach doubled, moving Johnson to third for the bulk of the order. Mike Godwin hit a deep fly ball to center, allowing Johnson to score and Harbach to move up 90 feet to third. But that would be all the Wildcats could manage in the first as Raiders' starter Shawn Patterson got Adam Soley to fly out to end the inning.
Shippensburg responded in the top of the second with its own sacrifice fly to tie the score at 1-1.
Wildcat starter Justin DeLong did not allow another base runner until the fifth inning, setting the Raiders down in order in the third and fourth innings, while only allowing a two-out walk to reach first in the fifth.
The Wildcats could not put anything together at the plate either, as they got a leadoff single by Brendan Fallers in the third but a double play negated the inning. Jonathan Rodriguez and Harbach walked to put two more runners on in the inning, but with two outs and Patterson was able to get the final out without any damage.
DeLong ran into trouble in the sixth, which opened up the game for Shippensburg as the Raiders took the lead for good with a three-run inning. Tyler Basso hit a two-out, bases loaded single for the big hit in the innings, making it 4-1 going into the bottom of the sixth.
Wilmington didn't roll over however, as Godwin started the sixth with a double, and later came around to score on a one out single by Bryan Miller. Jordan Oncay singled to put runners on first and second and one out, but the Raider's Josh Scott got a strike out and induced a ground ball to escape with only the one run.
Shippensburg took all the wind out of the sails of the Wildcats with another three-run inning in the top of the seventh. The Red Raiders tacked on another run in the eighth to cap the scoring on the afternoon.
The Wildcats put two more runners on in the seventh on a two-out rally, but again couldn't get the run producing hit they were looking for and left two more runners on base.
DeLong took his first loss of the season as he threw the first 5.2 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and finished with six strikeouts. Harbach, Miller and Oncay collected two hits apiece for the Wildcats while Rodriguez, Godwin and Fallers ended with one hit each.
Shippensburg's Scott improved to 2-3 with the win after coming on in relief to starting in the fourth inning. He threw four innings while giving up one run on six hits with three strikeouts. Simon Beloff and Steve Sulcoski led the Raiders with three hits each. Beloff added his sixth home run of the season with a solo shot in the seventh.
The Wildcats will look to get back on track on Thursday, as they host another PSAC school at Wilson Field. Kutztown comes to town for a nonconference matchup starting at 3 p.m.