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Kutztown Box Score |
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CLERMONT, FLA. – The Slippery Rock University softball team snapped a six-game losing streak and went 2-0 on a rainy day of Florida play Friday at the NTC Spring Games. The Rock defeated Kutztown University 7-6 in the first game and beat the New York Institute of Technology 8-7 in the night cap that was interrupted by a rain delay in the second inning.
The Rock's bats were on fire Friday and key defensive plays led to both victories.
Kutztown took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and held that lead through the second. In the top of the third with one runner on base
Katie Saluga stepped up to the plate and drilled a home run to put Slippery Rock in front, 2-1.
Emily Lobdell took the mound in the bottom of the third and managed three straight strikeouts for The Rock.
With not much action offensively from SRU in the fourth inning, Kutztown answered back. With the bases loaded and a 1-2 count Brianna Knipe cleared the bases with a grand slam, Kutztown's only home run, to give the Golden Bears a 5-2 lead.
Saluga then tied the game when she crushed a three-run home run to left field that stayed just inside the foul post. Kutztown managed one run in the bottom of the fifth before
Ashley Knight entered the game to record the final out of the inning.
With the score in favor of Kutztown at 6-5, Slippery Rock wrapped up scoring efforts in the top of the sixth with RBIs from
Breanna Tongel and
Jenna Geibel.
Kutztown had the opportunity to rally, but The Rock managed some huge defensive plays to earn the win. Knight saw four batters in the bottom of the seventh and ended the game by striking out Knipe.
Kutztown is now on a seven game losing streak with a 9-9 record and has yet to see a win in Florida.
Game two started in a light rain with
Ashley Knight back on the mound for The Rock. Knight struggled as the rain got heavier and New York Institute of Technology took advantage of the weather scoring three runs in the first inning.
Amy Erickson relieved Knight on the mound and allowed a run in the top of the second inning, making the score 3-0, NYIT. Slippery Rock was unable to score a run in the bottom of the second.
With Erickson on the mound and NYIT with two outs the game was then delayed due to heavy rain.
After an hour rain delay Slippery Rock took the field ready to rally. At the restart The Rock earned a quick third out and began their comeback.
The bats came to life in the bottom of the third starting with a single to left field from
Taylor Welch.
Megan Maloney stepped up next and made contact for a single to right advancing Welch to third base. With a runner on first and third for The Rock, NYIT had an unsuccessful attempt to pick of Maloney at first and Welch saw the opportunity to advance and broke for home but was unsuccessful as NYIT tagged her out in a close slide. Saluga then made contact again with a single to left field advancing Maloney to second. Lobdell then singled to right field scoring Maloney and placing Saluga in scoring position.
Regan Cottrill then scored Saluga, followed by
Katie Kaiser scoring Lobdell. The inning ended with the score 4-3 in NYIT's favor and was followed by a scoreless fourth inning.
NYIT then put a scare into The Rock in the top of the fifth inning scoring three runs and making the score 7-3. With no runs from Slippery Rock in the bottom of the fifth,
Ashley Knight returned to the mound. Geibel turned a double play for Slippery Rock, followed by a caught line drive by Tongel at first base to end the inning.
The Rock not giving up their fight scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and with huge defensive efforts managed three up three down for NYIT.
With the score in favor of NYIT at 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Slippery Rock stepped up for their last at-bat. With two outs and Kaiser at second Kristen Kaminiski entered the game to hit for Tongel. Kaminski was hit by a pitch and was placed on first.
Sarah Lindvay then entered the game as a runner for Kaminski. Geibel then stepped up to the plate and hit the game winning in-the-park home run scoring Kaiser and Lindvay and giving The Rock the 8-7 victory.
NYIT's loss makes them 5-8 overall.
Knight is credited with both wins on the day and The Rock's record improves to 5-7.
Slippery Rock will wrap up spring break play facing the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Shippensburg University on Saturday in Clermont, Fla.
