April 21, 2007

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Slippery Rock, Pa. - The Rock split a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division doubleheader vs. visiting California U. of Pa. on Saturday to drop into fourth place in the division standings.

SRU benefitted from California mistakes to record a 5-2 win in Saturday's first game before the Vulcans pounded out 13 hits en route to an 8-3 decision in the second game.

The split leaves California (12-14 overall, 9-7 PSAC-W) and Edinboro (15-17, 8-6) virtually tied for secone place, one game ahead of The Rock (22-18, 8-8).

The Rock has a twinbill each vs. Indiana (13-24, 4-8) and Lock Haven (37-2, 15-1) left on its division schedule; California has duels with Edinboro and Clarion (4-20, 0-14) left and Edinboro has two twinbills vs. Indiana and one doubleheader vs. California left to play.

The top three teams in the division at the end of regular-season play will advance to the conference playoffs May 3-5 at the home of the PSAC-Eastern Division regular-season champion.

The Rock has not competed in the PSAC playoffs since 1982.

SRU embarks on a six-game road trip Monday when it travels to Ohio Valley (W. Va.) for a doubleheader, followed the next day by a twinbill at Salem International and then a twinbill at Indiana (Pa.) on Friday.

The Rock closes out its regular-season schedule with a twinbill next Saturday vs. defending NCAA Division II national champion and current No. 1-ranked Lock Haven (1 p.m.).

Game 1

The Rock had only four hits in Saturday's first game, but took advantage of four California errors to score four unearned runs.

Courtney Vincent had two hits, including a double, to lead The Rock attack while Stacey Rhoades and Emily Novitsky each picked up an RBI.

Rock pitcher Courtney Conron withstood seven hits and four bases on balls to record a complete-game win. She struck out two en route to her seventh win in 14 decisions this spring.

Game 2

Vincent and Sheree Horvath had a double each and Jessica Kortz, Kim Weindel and Novitsky each picked up an RBI to lead The Rock's second-game effort.

The Rock took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a single by Amber Phillips, Horvath's double, a sacrifice fly by Weindel and a pinch-hit RBI single by Novitsky but could not hold off the hard-charging Vulcans.

California scored four times in the top of the sixth inning to take a 5-2 lead, then answered a lone Rock run in the bottom of the sixth with three tallies in the top of the seventh to settle the final score.

The Rock's sixth-inning tally came through the combination of a leadoff walk by Meghan McHenry, a California error on a ground ball by Stacey Rhoades and a sacrifice fly by Kortz.

Rock head coach Vashion Johnson used four different pitchers in the game. Horvath, the starter, was tagged with the loss after she allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits in five innings.

Liz Pittman allowed one earned run on two hits and did not record an out before Conron came on to end the rally.

Rhoades allowed three unearned runs on two hits in the final frame.

Notes:The Rock, which has won 20 or more games for the third successive season, needs two more triumphs to match the 2005 squad's school-record win total of 24.