April 3, 2007

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Erie, Pa. - Scott Bender swung a mighty bat and made a strong statement in favor of getting more playing time Tuesday when he led The Rock (16-8) to a 10-9, 10-2 doubleheader sweep of hosting Gannon (4-19) in non-conference action.

Bender, who has been platooned in right field this spring by Rock head coach Jeff Messer, was 6-for-7 with three doubles, a triple, four RBIs, three runs scored, two stolen bases and a sacrifice bunt in Tuesday's games.

In Game 1, he was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and one run scored. He doubled to right field in the second inning to score The Rock's first run of the game, slapped a double to right field in the fourth frame and laced a two-run triple down the left field line in the fifth inning.

He also laid down a sacrifice bunt in the seventh to help The Rock, down by a 9-8 count, score a pair of runs to win the game.

In Game 2, Bender was 3-for-4 with an RBI double in the sixth inning, two runs scored and two stolen bases.

Matt Adams, Phil Butch and Rich Michalek each had a pair of hits and two RBIs to complement Bender's Game 1 effort as The Rock pounded out 13 hits.

Butch's one-out single in the top of the seventh inning plated the tying and winning runs.

Adams and Billy Herman had a double each in Game 1 to join Bender in the extra-base-hit category.

Josh Rape (2-1) picked up the win in relief of Rock starter Sean Holliday, while Mike DeCola pitched the final inning to pick up his first save of the season.

Holliday allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits, struck out four and walked four in the first 2 2/3 innings. Rape yielded four earned runs on four hits, struck out one and walked four in the next 3 1/3 frames before DeCola struck out one and walked two in the bottom the seventh.

The Rock spotted Gannon a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of Game 2 before it scored scored 10 unanswered runs to win going away.

SRU scored four times in the top of the second; added single tallies in the third, fifth and sixth frames and then finished off the day's work with three runs in the top of the seventh.

Headlining The Rock's 13-hit attack in Game 2 were a two-run home run by Kyle Smith and a solo HR by Josh Smith (no relation), both of which came in the top of the seventh inning.

Jacob Oswalt slapped a two-run single, Kyle Smith singled home a run and Billy Messer got a bases-loaded walk to provide the key ingredients for The Rock's four-run second inning.

Travis Trimbur singled home a run in the third, Billy Messer stroked an RBI single in the fifth and Bender's third double of the game plated a run in the sixth before Smith and Smith went boom-boom in the seventh.

Vince Lloyd, normally The Rock's "closer," made his first collegiate start in Game 2 and was credited with his initial win. He allowed two earned runs on two hits, struck out four and walked two in the first four innings.

Scott Rice pitched two scoreless and hitless innings and struck out three before Tom Turnbull allowed one hit, struck out two and walked one in the final frame.

The three Rock pitchers combined to toss a three-hitter in Game 2.

Kyle Smith finished the game with a team-high three RBIs, while Billy Messer and Oswalt each collected two RBIs. Bender and Josh Smith each had three hits, while Trimbur and Kyle Smith added two apiece.

Tuesday's wins improved SRU's season record to 16-8 heading into Friday's home doubleheader (1 p.m.) vs. Lock Haven.

Weather permitting, The Rock then opens a four-game road trip with a twinbill Saturday in Lock Haven, followed by a doubleheader Tuesday at NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional rival Wheeling Jesuit.