Game One Boxscore
Game Two Boxscore

WASHINGTON, Pa. – The No.18 ranked Slippery Rock University baseball team dropped both games of its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division opener at California (Pa.) Friday.

The Vulcans rallied for a 6-5 win in the first game of the doubleheader and posted a 4-0 victory in the nightcap.

The Rock led 3-2 going into the final inning of the opener and added two insurance runs when Matt Adams connected on a two-run home run to put Slippery Rock up 5-2 going into California's final at bat.
Sam DiMatteo doubled to open Vulcans' half of the inning and Jon Selby singled to put two runners on with no outs. Starting pitcher Scott Dunn was relieved in favor of Justin Thomas, who gave up a single that scored one run and a sacrifice fly that scored another, bringing the score to 5-4.

After walking the next batter, Thomas picked up the second out of the inning with a strikeout, but hit Kurt Thomas to load the bases with two outs. Pinch hitter Aaron Ordy worked the count to full, taking back-to-back pitches (1-2 and 2-2 pitches) that were called balls and drew controversial reactions from the crowd, before lacing a line drive up the middle to plate two runs and end the game.

Thomas was charged with the loss after allowing two earned runs and two hits. Dunn earned a no-decision after throwing six innings, allowing four runs and 11 hits while striking out five.

Adams led the effort at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Billy Herman was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Billy Messer was 2-for-4 with one run scored. Scott Bender was credited with a triple and an RBI and Derek Diruscia was also credited with an RBI. Rich Michalek and Adam Jury both had doubles to round out the extra-base hits for The Rock.

Ryan Lavrusky was credited with the win for California, throwing a complete game and allowing five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts.

The second game was controlled by California's Jon Squeglia, who earned the win on the mound after throwing a complete game, allowing no runs on just three Rock hits.

The Vulcans scored one run in each of their first two at bats to take a 2-0 lead and added one more run in the fifth inning and a final run in the sixth inning.

Rich Hocanson was charged with the loss after allowing two runs and two hits in two innings of work. Brett Vescovi allowed five hits and two runs in 3.1 innings of work and John Thomas recorded the final two outs of the game without allowing a hit.

Bender and Messer each had one single in three at bats and Kyle Smith added a double to round out The Rock's hits.

With the sweep, California will bring a 10-4 overall record and a 2-0 PSAC-West mark into Saturday's doubleheader at Jack Critchfield Park. The Rock now sits at 10-6 overall and 0-2 in league play.

First pitch for The Rock's home opening doubleheader and the second half of the California series is set for 1 p.m. Saturday.