March 25, 2004

Box Score

Slippery Rock, Pa. - Freshman second baseman Phil Butch's leadoff triple in the bottom of the 11th inning set the table for the winning run as The Rock (14-8) nipped Salem International, 6-5, in extra innings to complete a doubleheader sweep at Jack Critchfield Park.

Salem International (9-15-1) intentionally walked the next two hitters (senior shortstop Nathan Statzer and senior center fielder Matt Kozusko) to load the bases and set up a double-play possibility at every base.

After freshman designated hitter Brad Wilson flew out to left field, senior catcher Joe Pascarella smacked an RBI single over the pulled-in Tigers outfield in left-center field to bring Butch home with the winning run.

Pascarella's game-winning hit allowed The Rock to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat; The Rock trailed by a 5-3 score heading into the bottom of the 10th inning.

A two-out, two-run single to short right field by senior left fielder Ben Marzullo plated two runs in the bottom of the 10th to tie the score at 5-5.

The late-inning excitement capped off a game in which both teams enjoyed slim leads.

Salem International scored the first run in the top of the first inning, but The Rock answered with a tally of its own in the bottom of the first.

The visiting Tigers took a 2-1 lead with a run in the top of the third inning, only to have The Rock score two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead.

Salem International tied the score at 3-3 with a run in the top of the fifth. That's the way the scoreboard remained until the Tigers scored two runs in the top of the 10th to take a seemingly safe 5-3 lead.

But that rally merely set the stage for The Rock's final two rallies.

The win was the first in three extra-inning games this spring for The Rock. All three of the overtime shifts have been worked in the last six games. The Rock went nine innings before losing by a 5-3 score to Ashland on March 13, then toiled 13 innings only to lose a 4-1 decision last Wednesday to Pitt-Johnstown.

Four Rock players -- Statzer, Kozusko, Pascarella and senior right fielder Jason Curry -- had a pair of hits each in The Rock's 11-hit attack in Thursday's extra-inning game.

Redshirt freshman southpaw Colin Scott was the winning pitcher. He improved his record to 2-1 as he pitched the final six innings, allowed two earned runs on four hits, struck out two and walked two.

Junior right-hander Joe Petti made his first collegiate start and lasted five innings. He allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits, struck out two and walked two.

The Rock opens Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division action on Friday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader vs. Clarion at Jack Critchfield Park.

SRU and Clarion close out their four-game season series with a 1 p.m. twinbill at Clarion on Saturday.

The Rock, after playing eight games in four days, will get two days off before travelling to Shepherd College for a non-conference doubleheader on March 30.

Then comes the much-anticipated renewal of the rivalry with Shippensburg.

The Rock travels to Red Raider country for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on April 3 before Shippensburg comes to Critchfield Park for a 1 p.m. twinbill the following day.

The Rock and Shippensburg butted heads in best-of-three series to decide both the PSAC and NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional championships a year ago.

Shippensburg captured the conference crown in Boyertown before SRU reigned in a hotly contested regional tournament at Critchfield Park to earn its fourth berth in the national tournament.