MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – Graduate student quarterback Michael Hardyway (Winchester, Cal./Oceanside/Bucknell) completed 20-of-29 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns to lead Shepherd (1-4, 1-1 PSAC East) to a 38-23 win over Millersville (0-5, 0-2 PSAC East) in PSAC East football action at Millersville on Saturday.

Shepherd took a 7-0 lead when Hardyway teamed with redshirt senior wide receiver Malakai Brown (Martinsburg, W.Va./Martinsburg) on a 51-yard scoring strike with 3:59 left in the first quarter. Sophomore kicker Max Barba (Rock Hall, Md./Kent Island/McPherson College)added the extra point.

Millersville got a 32-yard field goal from Trent McDowell with 14:55 left in the second quarter to cut the lead to 7-3.

Redshirt junior running back Jordan Barnett (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge/FUMA/Southern Utah) raced 67 yards for a score to up the lead to 14-3.

Ryan Zeltt teamed with Thaddeus Shaw on a 29-yard scoring pass to cut the lead to 14-10 with 8:24 remaining to cut the deficit to 14-10.

Zeltt fired a 38-yard scoring pass to Shaw minutes later to give the Marauders a 17-14 advantage.

Hardyway teamed with junior wide receiver Kordell Batten (Waldorf, Md./St. Charles)on a 31-yard scoring pass with 1:03 left in the half as the Rams retook the lead.

Barba connected on a 26-yard field goal with six seconds left in the half to give the Rams a 24-17 lead at the break.

Shepherd opened the second ha;lf scoring when Hardyway teamed with Batten on a 19-yard scoring pass with 4:32 left in the third quarter to up the lead to 31-17.

Millersville countered with a 22-yard scoring run by JQ Brown with 57 seconds left in the third quarter to cut the lead to 31-23.

Graduate student running back Grant Swinehart (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby/VMI) scored on a two-yard plunge with 13:31 left in the contest to complete the scoring.

Zeltt completed 29-of-52 passes for 292 yards and a pair of scores for the Marauders.

Batten had eight grabs for 113 yards and redshirt junior tight end Caysen Lanza (Charles Town, W.Va./Jefferson) added six receptions for 126 yards for the Rams. Kam Taylor had four catches for 44 yards for Millersville.

Barnett had 14 carries for a game-high 124 yards. Swinehart added 13 carries for 39 yards. Isaiah Emmanuel had 16 carries for 106 yards for Millersville.
Shepherd amassed 513 yards of total offense and Millersville totaled 463.

Junior linebacker Aydan Willis (Winchester, Va./Sherando/UVa-Wise), graduate student defensive back Klayton Batten (Waldorf, Md./St. Charles), junior defensive back Makai Young (White Plains, Md./North Point), junior defensive back Uchenna Ibe (Laurel, Md./Glen Burnie/Wagner), and freshman linebacker Noel Norman-Williams (Severn, Md./Old Mill) each had seven tackles to lead the Shepherd defense. Redshirt junior defensive back Will Ennis (Millersville, Md./Old Mill) and junior defensive back Will Johnson (Manassas, Va./Brentsville District) each added an interception. Kai Stiansen and Ryan Aument each had nine tackles for the Marauders.

The Rams return to action on Saturday when they host West Chester at noon for the Breast Cancer Awareness Game.