April 10, 2004

Slippery Rock, Pa. - The Rock saw its postseason hopes become all but extinguished Saturday afternoon when California U. of Pa. swept a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division doubleheader at Jack Critchfield Park by 4-1 and 4-2 scores.

The losses were the eighth in the last 10 games for SRU, which saw its overall record drop to 21-17 and its PSAC-West mark fall to 5-7. California improved its record to 22-16-1, 10-2.

The Rock will return to action on Monday when it will host Gannon in a 1 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at Critchfield Park.

SRU's lone run in Saturday's first game came in the second inning when freshman second baseman Phil Butch walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single up the middle by senior shortstop Nathan Statzer.

Statzer had two of The Rock's four hits in the game.

Junior right-hander John Katich was the losing pitcher in the first game and saw his record fall to 4-2. He allowed four earned runs on six hits, struck out four and walked four.

An RBI single down the right field line by Rock senior right fielder Jason Curry in the fourth inning tied the score at 1-1 in Saturday's first game. Curry's hit plated senior third baseman Chase Rowe, who had walked and moved around to third base on a Vulcan error.

California turned the tables and made the most of two Rock errors in the top of the seventh inning to score the winning runs, three unearned tallies.

SRU got its final run in the bottom of the seventh on the combination of singles by senior left fielder Ben Marzullo and junior pinch hitter Brad Wilson and a run-scoring ground out by Statzer.

Seven Rock players had a hit each in the game.

Redshirt freshman right-hander Derek Blyzwick was tagged with the loss, his third in six decisions this spring, after he allowed four runs -- only one of which was of the "earned" variety -- on four hits. He struck out four and walked one in six-plus innings. Redshirt sophomore southpaw Colin Scott pitched the final inning.