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SAUGET, Ill. - Shippenburg University baseball junior Matt Wright tied a career-high with 15 strikeouts in helping the Red Raiders avoid elimination with a 9-2 victory over 14th-ranked Franklin Pierce in a consolation bracket contest in the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship at GCS Ballpark Monday night.

The win was the first in the Division II World Series for Shippensburg (39-25) in four appearances, ending a seven-game winless streak. It also capped a record-setting night for Wright and senior Justin Garber.

Wright threw 166 pitches while allowing just two runs on five hits. His 15 strikeouts gave him 151 for the season and 333 for his career, breaking the all-time PSAC records for a single-season and career. The previous PSAC record for a season was 148 set by Kutztown's Glenn Woolard in 2002 while the career mark stood at 332, set by Anthony Zombotti of Indiana (Pa.) from 2000-03.

Wright's ninth victory of the season and 22nd of his career came in his fifth complete game of the season.

Meanwhile, Garber, who tied the PSAC's all-time career hits record on Saturday, moved into sole possession of the record on Monday with a single to shortstop in the fourth, breaking the mark of 284 set by Mansfield's Greg Robertson from 1994-97.

"We fought hard to get here and we're proud to be here, but at the same time we still feel that we deserve to be here," said Shippensburg head coach Matt Jones. "When you come in and don't have the record some of the other teams have, and the first time you get ranked is when you make the World Series, you got to have a chip on your shoulder. Today, as the game went on, we got a little bit of the swagger back."

Junior Tyler Redick went 3-for-5 for the Red Raiders with a two-run homer and three runs scored for Shippensburg while junior Kasey Kuhns was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, giving him a team-leading 50 this season. Sophomore Kevin Scholly was 2-for-2 with three runs scored.

Brian Maloney suffered just his second loss in 10 decisions this season for Franklin Pierce (43-15), allowing seven runs on six hits in three-and-a-third innings. He walked six, including five in the first inning, three with the bases loaded, that led to an early 4-0 Shippensburg lead.

The Red Raiders advance to play the loser of Sonoma State and Central Missouri in another elimination contest on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Eastern. The game will be broadcast live on Shippensburg University student radio station WSYC 88.7 FM and through the internet at www.shipraiders.com.