Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo of JR Gregory by Frank Stallworth.

NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University baseball team collected its highest hit total of the season with 13 knocks, but Shippensburg claimed the nonconference victory, 10-5, on Wednesday afternoon in the 2016 home debut at Wilson Field.

Four different Wildcats (2-11) finished with a multiple hits, but the Red Raiders (7-10) had a five-run fourth and a four-run eighth inning to carry them to the victory.

After giving up an unearned run in the top of the second inning, the Wildcats answered and eventually took the lead, 2-1. A pair of walks started the home half of the second for the Wildcats, but the runners were stuck on second and third as the Red Raiders recorded two outs. But they couldn't escape the frame, as Max Carney put the Wildcats on the board by scoring on a passed ball.

Starter Zach Rumford stranded a runner on second in the top of the third and Dan Hyatt sparked the offense again in the third with a lead off infield single. Now on third with two outs, Hyatt gave the Wildcats the 2-1 lead as Carney singled in between the second baseman and right fielder.

But the Red Raiders answered right back in the top of the fourth inning, putting their first six batters of the inning on base. A leadoff triple scored on a single before back-to-back doubled produced three more runs for Shippensburg. A final RBI single put the visitors ahead, 6-2.

The bats came alive again for the Wildcats in the bottom of the inning, as they loaded the bases with three straight singles to start the frame. Jesse Long then singled through the left side to score JR Gregory, keeping the bases loaded. Now with one out, Hyatt reached on a fielder's choice to score a run, but the Red Raiders now had two outs in the inning. They would escape without any further damage.

Gregory came up with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to close the game to 6-5, but the Wildcats stranded two runners on base and still trailed.

Matt Frost, Jay Kluka, and Peter Monahan recorded scoreless innings before the Red Raiders added onto their lead with a four-run eighth inning. Another triple and a single produced a pair of runs before a sac fly and a bases loaded walk put the Red Raiders up 10-5.

Hyatt paced the offense by going 3-for-5 with a double while Christian Adorno, Gregory, and Kendall Small each added two hits in the game.

The Wildcats have a week off before they return to action next Wednesday with the first round of the Bill Giles Invitational against West Chester. Wednesday will be game two of a five game home stand with the first pitch slated for 3:00 p.m.