March 15, 2007

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Fort Myers, Fla. - Jim Eimiller was 3-for3 with a solo home run and three RBIs and Mark Tanner tossed six innings of one-hit ball in Game 2 to lead the 27th-ranked Rock to split in Thursday's doubleheader vs. Southwest Minnesota State at Terry Park.

The Rock dropped the first game of the twinbill by a 7-2 score before it bounced back to win the second game by a 6-3 score.

The split, which was recorded less than 24 hours after SRU's emotional 4-3 win over No. 22 West Chester, gives the Green and White a 10-3 record heading into Friday's 9 a.m. single game vs. Hillsdale (Mich.)

Southwest Minnesota State owns an 8-5 record after Thursday's action.

Eimiller's solo home run came one batter after Billy Herman had given SRU a 2-0 lead with a two-run HR to right-center field in the top of the third inning.

Herman and Eimiller also had back-to-back hits in the top of the first inning, Herman a one-out double and Eimiller a single, to put runners on second and third bases. Following the theme of The Rock effort in Game 1, though, SRU squandered the opportunity as the next two hitters struck out and hit a ground ball to leave the runners stranded.

Eimiller's third hit of the game was a two-run, two-out single in the top of the sixth that extended SRU's lead to 5-0.

A single by Scott Bender and an RBI double by Travis Trimbur plated the final Rock run in the top of the seventh to give SRU a 6-0 cushion heading into the final half inning of action.

Southwest Minnesota State got three runs on three hits, one walk and one hit batsman vs. Rock closer Vince Lloyd to set the final score.

Tanner, in his longest outing since undergoing Tommie John surgery a year ago, struck out four and walked one in six innings before he gave way to Lloyd.

The Rock outhit Southwest Minnesota State by a 10-4 margin in Game 2.

Game 1 was a story of missed opportunities for SRU.

Southwest Minnesota State scored four runs on four hits in the top of the second inning to take a quick and ultimately insurmountable lead vs. Rock starter and loser Josh Rape.

The Rock threatened to cut into the deficit in the top of the third inning, when it had a runner on second base with one out, but a fly out and a ground out left the runner in the middle of the field.

Two innings later, a leadoff double by Matt Adams and an RBI single by M.J. Parsons plated the first Rock run of the game. The Rock again threatened to do more damage, as it had runners on second and third bases with no outs. Three successive strikeouts, the first two of the "looking" variety, left those runners stranded, though.

The Rock came right back with another rally in its next at-bat, as the first three batters reached base via walks, but a strikeout and a double play ground ball slammed the door on the really.

Southwest Minnesota State made those blown opportunities more painful when it scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 6-1 lead.

SRU got one run back in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Ryan Dillon reached on an error, but jammed his wrist while diving head-first into first base to beat the late thrown. Scott Bender pinch ran for Dillon, moved to second when Josh Smith received a base on balls and scored from second base when Billy Messer slapped an RBI single to center field.

Messer's hit left runners on first and second bases with only one out, but a double play again slammed the door on The Rock's comeback hopes.

Southwest Minnesota State added an insurance run in the top of the seventh and retired The Rock quietly in the bottom of the seventh to close out the win.

Rape allowed six earned runs on eight hits, struck out three and walked three in 5 1/3 innings of work.

Scott Rice pitched the final inning and two thirds and allowed one earned run on four hits, struck out one and walked one.

The Rock was outhit by a 12-6 margin in Game 1, were struck out eight times and left eight runners stranded.

Following Friday's nine-inning single game vs. Hillsdale, The Rock will close out its spring-break schedule with a 9 a.m. single game Saturday vs. Ashland.

The Rock is then scheduled to open its home schedule on Tuesday with a 1 p.m. twinbill vs. Mansfield at Jack Critchfield Park.