LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University baseball team (9-24, 2-15 PSACE) dropped a home doubleheader to Shepherd University (15-18-1, 9-11-1 PSACE) in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division matchup. The two games spanned over seven hours at Watkins Field as the Bald Eagles and Rams battled out two thrilling one-run games.
 
Game 1: L, 6-5
 
Shepherd got things rolling in the top of the first inning and notched three runs, before Lock Haven responded for three of their own in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Jake Mastillo (Roaring Brook Twp, Pa./North Pocono) drove in Gavin Troutman (Boyertown, Pa./Oley Valley) with a sacrifice fly, and Joe Shannon (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent (Mercer CC)) singled as Justin Lichtenwalner (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) scored on a Shepherd error. Shannon scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to knot things up at 3-3.
 
The Rams added a run in each in the second and fourth, before LHU tied things up once more at 5-5. Another Shepherd error allowed a Lock Haven run and a Lichtenwalner sacrifice fly brought the two teams level.
 
Shepherd grabbed the all-important run in the top of the seventh inning to bring home the 6-5 win.
 
Garrett Starr (Dubois, Pa./Dubois) pitched well in relief for the Bald Eagles going three innings and allowing just one run. Starr struck out five, but was tagged with the loss.
 
Game 2: L, 13-12 (10 Inn.)
 
Mastillo notched a two-RBI double in the bottom of the first inning to spark the Bald Eagles in game two. Shannon followed it up with a towering two-run homerun which bounced off the Haywood's sign in right field. Gabe Stirr (Canadensis, Pa./Pocono Mtn. East) brought in another run on a double down the left field line to move LHU ahead 5-0. The Bald Eagles batted all the way around and Troutman notched and infield RBI-single as LHU closed the opening inning up 6-0.
 
LHU tacked on two more in the second inning as Garrett Nepert (Preston, Md./Colonel Richardson (Chesapeake County CC)) and Camden Moors (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont) both notched RBI-singles to push LHU ahead 8-0.
 
Shepherd got on the scoreboard with two runs in the fourth, three in the sixth and a five run seventh inning to take a 10-8 lead. Mastillo notched another RBI and a wild pitch allowed LHU to tie things back up at 10-10.
 
After trading a pair of runs, the sides went to the tenth inning where Shepherd was able to find two runs. Lock Haven grabbed a run back on a Troutman sacrifice fly, but the late comeback was halted and Shepherd held on for the 13-12 win.
 
Mastillo led all Bald Eagles with three RBIs and the trio of Troutman, Shannon and Moors each notched two RBIs apiece. LHU exploded for 12 runs on 20 hits in the second game as the two sides racked up 25 runs and 34 total hits.
 
SCHEDULE UPDATE:
The Bald Eagles have rescheduled their road matchups with Mansfield and Slippery Rock. LHU will meet Mansfield in a single nine-inning game on Monday, April 25 in a 2 p.m. start. Then on Tuesday (April 26), The Haven will travel to Slippery Rock for a single nine-inning game set for 3 p.m.