March 26, 2004

Box Score

Slippery Rock, Pa. - After nipping the visiting Golden Eagles by the narrowest of margins (one run) in the first game. The Rock completed a doubleheader sweep of Clarion by unleashing a 24-hit attack and rolling to a 21-3 victory.

The Rock had 13 extra-base hits -- eight doubles and five home runs -- in the game. Clarion had a total of six hits in the game off Rock senior southpaw Steve Norris, who pitched a seven-inning complete game.

The win was The Rock's fifth straight and improved SRU's record to 16-8 overall, 2-0 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division action.

SRU spotted Clarion (6-8, 0-2) a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning before it exploded for five runs in the bottom of the first.

A single run in the second, five runs in the third and six tallies in the fourth pushed SRU to a 17-2 advantage before a four-run sixth inning completed the effort.

Clarion got a harmless single run in the top of the seventh inning to account for the final score.

Senior shortstop Nathan Statzer paced The Rock attack with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate that included two doubles and a home run and accounted for five RBIs.

Senior center fielder Matt Kozusko, junior first baseman Billy Wolfe and senior right fielder Jason Curry were also 3-for-4 with a home run. Kozusko and Wolfe also had a double each in the game.

Senior third baseman Chase Rowe hit The Rock's first home run of the game to key the five-run outburst in the bottom of the first inning.

Wolfe, Rowe and Curry each finished the game with three RBIs, while Kozusko and sophomore second baseman Trent Berner each picked up two RBIs.

Berner joined Rowe and freshman outfielder Travis Trimbur as Rock players who had two hits in the game.

Norris allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, struck out 10 and walked two en route to his first win in three decisions this spring.

Friday's game was Norris' second complete-game effort in four starts.

The Rock and Clarion are scheduled to close out their four-game season series on Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader in Golden Eagles territory.

Saturday's games will be the first two of six straight road games The Rock is scheduled to play before returning home April 3 to take on archrival Shippensburg in a 1 p.m. twinbill at Jack Critchfield Park.