Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team salvaged a split Friday in doubleheader action when it traveled to California (Pa.), who entered the day first in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division standings. The Rock won game two, 6-4, after losing game one, 13-1.
SRU's victory snapped a four-game losing streak and improved its record to 9-12 overall and 2-6 in the PSAC-West. California record now stands at 24-6 overall and 6-2 in the PSAC-West.
Slippery Rock's lone highlight in its 13-1, five-inning loss in game one was a solo home run from senior short stop
Kirsten Brant in the second inning when The Rock was already trailing 4-0. SRU was down 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning when California exploded for eight runs to end the game.
However, The Rock never trailed in game two as they proceeded to take a game from the division-leading Vulcans on the road.
Senior designated player
Elizibeth Gorges led SRU to the win by going 3-for-3 with two home runs, two runs scored and three RBI. The home runs were the second and third of Gorges' career. Senior catcher
Katie Saluga, who had her 11-game hitting streak come to an end in the first game of the day, was 2-for-3 from the plate with one RBI in game two. Also helping The Rock's offense was senior outfielder
Natalie Atkinson, who drove in two runs.
Freshman pitcher
Ashley Knight earned the win and improved her record to 3-5 on the season. She tossed a complete game and tied her career-high with 10 strikeouts. Only two the four runs Knight allowed were earned runs. Knight and Vulcan pitcher Kaitlyn Schilling (10-3) dominated the game early on as both pitchers held their opposition scoreless through four innings.
Slippery Rock's offense came alive in the fifth inning when Gorges hammered a solo home run to right field for the game's first run. Later in the inning, Atkinson slipped a two-out single through the middle that scored sophomore outfielder
Emily Lobdell and freshman outfielder
Alaynna Beers to put The Rock up 3-0 through four and a half innings.
California responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth, but any thoughts of a comeback would be put to rest when The Rock posted three more runs in sixth to take a 6-2 lead. The scores came from a two-run home run from Gorges and an RBI-single from Saluga.
Knight gave up two runs in the seventh inning, but was able to slam the door shut on the Vulcans to preserve the 6-4 Rock victory in game two.
Slippery Rock will step outside the PSAC-West when it travels to play a doubleheader at East Stroudsburg Saturday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
