April 3, 2004

Box Score

Shippensburg, Pa. - The Rock scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning, then held off a Shippensburg rally in the bottom half of the frame, to score a 2-1 win over the hosting nationally ranked Red Raiders and garner a split of Saturday's crucial Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division doubleheader.

Shippensburg won the first game, 4-0.

The Rock was held without a hit for the first six innings before senior catcher Joe Pascarella led off the top of the seventh inning with a double.

Pascarella gave way to freshman infielder Phil Butch, who moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior third baseman and scored the game's first run on an RBI double by senior right fielder Jason Curry.

Curry moved to third on a passed ball before he scored what proved to be the game-winning run on a ground ball to the right side of the infield by junior designated hitter Dave Gonos.

Shippensburg threatened to match The Rock's effort in the bottom of the seventh as it opened the frame with a double and an RBI single to cut The Rock lead to one run 2-1.

The Red Raiders had the potential tying run on second base with one out after the next hitter moved the runner up with a sacrifice bunt. Rock starting and winning pitcher Rocky D'Angelo then induced back-to-back ground outs to slam the door on the hosts' comeback attempt.

D'Angelo, who improved his record to 3-0, allowed six hits and struck out six in the course of his complete-game pitching effort. He got two of his punch-outs in the first inning as Shippensburg, after having a runner on third with no outs, failed to score in its first at-bat.

The Rock and Shippensburg were scheduled to close out their four-game regular-season series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Sunday at Jack Critchfield Park in Slippery Rock. But those games have been postponed until Monday at 1 p.m.