Game 1 boxscore

Game 2 boxscore

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- The Rock rang up its 23rd and 24th wins of the season Wednesday afternoon when it swept a non-conference doubleheader from visiting Bowie State (Md.) by 9-1 and 8-6 scores.

The Green and White took distinctly different routes to victory.

Game 1 featured three home runs by Rock hitters and was halted after five innings in accordance with the "run rule" as The Rock scored three runs in each of the first, third and fourth frames.

In Game 2, The Rock scored the first run of the game but needed to score seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a 3-1 deficit, then had to hold a comeback attack by the Lady Bulldogs in the top of the seventh.

In the end, The Rock extended its current win streak to four games and improved its season record to 24-14.

SRU returns to action at 3 p.m. Thursday, when it will host West Liberty State (W. Va.) in a non-conference doubleheader and seek to match last spring's school-record win total of 26.

Bowie State, which locked up a regional tournament last weekend by winning a second consecutive Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title, had a five-game win streak snapped and saw its season record fall to 24-10.

The outcome of Game 1 Wednesday was never in doubt after Meghan McHenry smacked a three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the first inning.

Two innings later, Jessica Kortz clouted a two-run home run as part of a three-run Rock rally that pushed the hosts' lead to 6-0.

Bowie State scored a single tally in the top of the fourth to make it a 6-1 game before Jordan Zeunges smashed a solo home run to start a three-run Rock rally in the bottom half of that frame.

Shauna Walker, in relief of Rock starting and winning pitcher Lisa Getgen, then retired Bowie State in order in the top of the fifth to bring an early end to the action.

The Rock collected eight hits in Game 1, led by the three home runs. Jessica Ellebruch slapped a pair of doubles, Stacey Rhoades had two singles and Courtney Vincent added a single to round out the hit parade.

Getgen allowed one earned run on two hits, struck out two and walked one in four innings of work to improve her season record to 11-6. Walker struck out one of the three hitters who faced her in the final frame.

The Rock manufactured the first run of Game 2 from a leadoff walk to Zeunges, a double by Ellebruch, a walk to Rhoades and a run-scoring groundball by McHenry.

That 1-0 edge stood until the top of the third, when Bowie State scored three runs on four hits off Getgen.

The guests held that 3-1 lead until the bottom of the sixth, when SRU scored seven times on five hits and two Bowie State errors. Key hits in the explosion were an RBI single by Kortz and RBI doubles by Sheree Horvath and Ellebruch.

Bowie State made things interesting, though, as the Lady Bulldogs scored three runs on three hits in the final inning against Walker, the third and final pitcher used by Rock head coach Vashion Johnson.

Horvath picked up the win in relief of Getgen, who allowed three earned runs on six hits, struck out one and walked one in the first four innings.

Horvath (2-4) replace Getgen in the top of the fourth inning and pitched two scoreless and hitless innings, struck out one and walked two before giving way to Walker.

Ellebruch had a pair of doubles to match her Game 1 total, Horvath had one two-bagger and Shardea Croes had a pair of singles in The Rock's nine-hit Game 2 attack.

After hosting West Liberty State in the home finale Thursday, SRU will close out its 2008 schedule with road games Friday and Saturday at Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division rivals Clarion and California U. of Pa., respectively.