Junior pitcher Madelayne Ruffner’s big week just got a whole lot bigger
The Shepherd University starting pitcher was named the WIlson/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) DII Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season.
The award comes on the heels of Ruffner’s selection PSAC East Pitcher of the Week as announced by the league office on Monday.
Ruffner, who leads all Division II pitchers in strikeouts, went 3-0 with a save and a 0.00 ERA on the week for the Rams. She fanned 46 and walked two in 21 2/3 innings. She tossed a no-hitter against Kutztown on April 14. She added complete game two-hit-shutouts against Lock Haven and Mansfield. Ruffner also notched a save against Lock Haven.
Ruffner has fanned 12.8 batters per seven innings and has a total of 215 punchouts, and is second in DII with a 15.36 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Shippensburg 9-0, Shepherd 1-3
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – Madelayne Ruffner continued her dominate run in the pitching circle with her third straight complete-game shutout on Tuesday in nightcap of a PSAC East doubleheader as the Rams earned a split with Shippensburg.
Ruffner went seven innings, allowing no runs on six hits while striking out 19 and walking only one to raise her record to 11-7.
Shepherd (19-19, 14-1) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning in the nightcap as first baseman Brenna Collis singled and eventually scored on a single by Sam Colaw.
The Rams added a run in the third, started by outfielder Lexi McAllister’s single before scoring on Boonsboro graduate Haylee Hartman’s double.
Shepherd capped the scoring in the seventh on a solo homer by Colaw.
Collis and Colaw each had a pair of hits to lead the Rams.
Reagan Bauman went 2-for-3 for the Raiders (28-14, 15-9).
Shippensburg took the lead with a six-run first inning in the opener, highlighted by Rilee Ehrlacher two-run single.
The Raiders added an unearned run in the second to take a 7-0 lead.
Shepherd got on the board in the third as outfielder Payton Weaver, a Williamsport graduate, was hit by a pitch and scored on a single by Hartman.
Shippensburg added single runs in the third and fourth to take a 9-1 lead to end the game early in the fifth due to the eight-run rule.
Dani Hayward (19-4) pitched the win for Shippensburg, going five innings while an unearned run on four hits.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Shepherd 9, Frostburg 8
HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Outfielder Bodie Pullen singled to drive in Nathaniel Brookshire in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Shepherd University to win over Frostburg State on Tuesday at Meritus Park.
Frostburg State (27-14) took a 5-0 lead in the third inning, led by a three-run homer from Jackson Shalick.
Shepherd (26-17) plated two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by outfielder Ethan Jones and Colin Ahart.
The Bobcats took a 6-2 lead in the sixth when Landon Marple doubled, stole third, and then scored on a throwing error.
The Rams took a 8-6 lead in the sixth with a six-run rally as Jones launched a two-run homer to ignite the rally.
Frostburg State plated one in the seventh when Shalick walked and scored on a double from Jake Holler.
The Bobcats tied the game 8-8 in the ninth on Logan Helser’s sacrifice fly.
Jones had a pair of hits and drove in two to pace the Rams.
Shalick had two hits with two runs and three RBIs for the Bobcats.
Shepherd pitcher Jesse Specter went two innings, allowing a run on three hits to move his record to 4-0. Frostburg’s Joey Serafin (4-2) took the loss, allowing a run on two hits in 2 2/3 innings.
BOYS LACROSSE
Middletown 19, Smithsburg 6
MIDDLETOWN, Md. – Zach Linn had two goals and two assists on Tuesday in a loss to Middletown.
Kyle Kretsinger had two goals, while Nick Roncone and Kaden Dietrich each scored once. Marquis Weakfall had an assist.
Goalkeeper Dante Rucci made 13 saves for the Leopards.
MEN’S GOLF
Shepherd takes sixth at Bedford Springs Invitational
BEDFORD SPRINGS, Pa. – Trey Rios fired a two-round total of 148 and finished tied for 15th place to lead the Rams to a sixth-place finish at the 15-team Bedford Springs Invitational at Omni Bedford Springs Resort on Tuesday.
The Rams finish with a team total of 600, 35 strokes behind team champion West Chester. Hector Arriaga of Glenville State carded a 142 to take medalist honors.
Following Rios for the Rams were Boonsboro’s Morgan Dehoff (150, T-28th), Killian Donnelly (151, T-32nd), Campbell Koegler (153, T-44th), South Hagerstown’s Joey Leisinger (155, T-57th), and Luke Davis (174, 94th).
