JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team plated six runs Wednesday off PSAC Western Division Pitcher of the Year Randy Sturgill but could not stop California (Pa.)'s offense – as the Vulcans scored eight times in the final four innings to defeat the Raiders 13-6 in the opening game of the 2011 PSAC Baseball Championships from Point Stadium in Johnstown.

Shippensburg (22-27) got two hits from sophomore Sam Phillips, freshman Pat Kregeloh and junior Tyler Uphouse – Kregeloh also drove in two of SU's six runs. Sophomore starter Tom Bush threw five-plus innings and suffered the loss, allowing three earned runs and nine hits.

SU fell behind 3-0 but rallied to tie the score after five innings. In the bottom of the fourth, Phillips and Kregeloh singled to put runners on first and third with one out. Sophomore Steve Sulcoski hit a potential double-play grounder that was booted by the Vulcan shortstop, allowing one run to score and preserving the inning for the Raiders.

Uphouse, whose .359 average against lefties leads the team, stepped to the plate and laced a double into the left-center field gap that plated Kregeloh and got Shippensburg within a run. In the fifth, SU tied the score when Kregeloh slammed an RBI-single off the “Screen Monster” in left field that plated junior Ben Miller.

SU scrapped together three runs in the final three innings. A double by Herman in the seventh resulted in a sacrifice fly by Phillips. In the ninth, senior AJ Czap drew a leadoff walk and Herman singled – both men eventually came around to score after an error and a groundout.

Shippensburg will face the loser of the Mercyhurst versus East Stroudsburg game that is currently in progress. That elimination game will be held at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.