March 10, 2007

Box Score

Fort Myers, Fla. - M.J. Parsons was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with a double, a triple and one RBI Saturday morning to pace a 14-hit Rock attack in a 3-2 win over Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) at Terry Park.

Parsons' RBI double in the top of the eighth inning plated what proved to be the game-winning run as improved its season record to 6-1.

Saginaw Valley State ended its spring trip to Florida with a 7-3 record.

Parsons, who currently owns a .524 batting average this spring, was one of four Rock players who had a multiple-hit game vs. SVSU. Phil Butch, Billy Herman and Scott Hugney -- the 1-2-3 hitters in The Rock lineup -- each had a pair of hits.

Parsons' double and triple were the only extra-base hits of the game for SRU. Hugney, Matt Adams and Parsons -- The Rock's 3-4-5 hitters --- each picked up one RBI in the game.

Josh Rape (1-0) was The Rock's starting and winning pitcher. He allowed two runs (one earned), scattered 10 hits, struck out six and did not walk a batter in eight innings of work.

Vince Lloyd struck out two and walked one in the final inning en route to his third save of the season.

A two-run Rock rally in the top of the eighth proved to be the difference in the game. Butch started the inning off with a base on balls, then stole second. Herman walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. Adams then lined a one-out single up the middle to score Butch and give SRU a 2-1 lead. Parsons then pushed Herman across the plate with his RBI double.

Saginaw Valley State answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth before Rape shut the door on the Cardinals' comeback. He helped his own cause by picking a runner off second base for the first out of the inning.

The Rock took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Butch singled, stole second and sprinted home on an RBI single by Hugney.

Saginaw Valley State evened the count at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the second to set up the eighth-inning rallies by both teams.

The Rock will take on NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional rival Charleston (W. Va.) in a 9 a.m. doubleheader Sunday at Terry Park.