New/Sortable Box Score 1 | New/Sortable Box Score 2
Traditional boxscores: Game1 | Game 2

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Slippery Rock University's nationally-ranked baseball team was forced to settle for a split Friday in a doubleheader vs. Wayne State (Mich.) to open the Green and White's spring-break schedule.

SRU won Friday's first game by a 3-2 score, but then lost a 16-2 decision in the second game.

The Rock, who were the No. 20 team in the NCBWA national poll, ranked 23rd in the American Baseball Coaches Association/Collegiate Baseball News national poll and 25th in the d2baseballnews.com national poll, owned a 9-3 record at the end of the day's action.

Wayne State finished the day with a 7-6 record.

SRU pounded out 12 hits in Friday's first game, led by junior right fielder Brandon Myers' 3-for-4, one-RBI performance. Sophomore third baseman Jake Nogalo and senior first baseman John Shaffer each added a pair of hits.

Sophomore right-hander Garret Peterson pitched the first four innings, allowed one earned run on two hits, struck out six and walked three to pick up his second win in as many decision this spring.

Junior righty John Kovalik struck out three batters in the final two and two-thirds innings to pick up his third save of the season.

Junior shortstop Will Kengor (pictured above) singled home a run in the bottom of the first inning and lofted a sixth-inning sacrifice fly to account for both Rock runs in the second game.

Sophomore southpaw Anton Constantino (0-1) was The Rock's Game 2 starting and losing pitcher. He allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits, struck out three and walked two in four and one-third innings.

Four Rock relief pitchers allowed 11 runs (8 earned) on nine hits in the final two and two-thirds innings.

The Rock return to action Saturday for the first of two single games in as many days vs. defending NCAA Division II national champion and Atlantic Region rival West Chester. First pitch Saturday is set for 4:30 p.m.

Saturday's game is expected to feature a pitching duel between Rock ace Lou Trivino (3-0, 0.00 ERA in 21 innings) and West Chester ace Joe Gunkel, who earned All-America honors in 2012.