April 6, 2004

Box Score

Slippery Rock, Pa. - Senior left fielder Ben Marzullo smacked his team-high fifth home run of the season, a three-run blast, to key a five-run second inning for The Rock, but it wasn't enough.

Nationally ranked Shippensburg (29-4, 7-1) scored nine runs in the final four innings Tuesday afternoon to complete a doubleheader sweep in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division action at Jack Critchfield Park.

Shippensburg, which rolled to a 12-1 win in Tuesday's first game, is ranked third in this week's American Baseball Coaches Association Division II national poll and is ranked fourth by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America.

The Rock entered the game ranked 29th by ABCA and received votes in the NCBWA poll.

The Rock appeared to be on its way to a split of Tuesday's twinbill, as well as the foru-game season series against Shippensburg, when it scored five times in the bottom of the first inning.

Senior third baseman Chase Rowe doubled to straightaway center field and junior catcher Brad Wilson singled him to third to set the stage for Marzullo's home run to right.

A single by junior designated hitter Dave Gonos, a Shippensburg error and a walk loaded the bases immediately after Marzullo's blast.

Senior center fielder Matt Kozusko induced a base on balls to push across The Rock's fourth run before junior first baseman Billy Wolfe brought home the fifth tally with a sacrifice fly to center.

The lead lasted less than two innings, though, as Shippensburg scored five times in the top of the fourth to knot the count at 5-5.

An RBI single by Gonos in the bottom of the fifth put The Rock back on top, 6-5, but that wound being the extent of The Rock's scoring.

Shippensburg regained the lead with two runs in the top of the sixth and padded its final margin with a pair of tallies in the seventh.

Gonos, Rowe and Wilson had two hits each to lead a 10-hit Rock offensive attack.

Rock starting pitcher Jeremy Becker, a junior southpaw, allowed five earned runs on seven hits, struck out three and walked four in three and two-thirds innings of work.

Junior right-hander Nick Armstrong was tagged with the loss, his first in three decisions this spring, after he allowed four earned runs on five hits, struck two and walked three in the final three and one-third innings.

The Rock returns to action at 1 p.m. Wednesday when it will host Shepherd College (W. Va.) in a non-conference doubleheader at The Jack.

SRU entertains PSAC-West co-leader California U. of Pa. in a doubleheader set to start at 1 p.m. on Thursday, then travels to Falconi Field in Washington, Pa., to close out the four-game season series vs. the Vulcans.