New/Sortable Box Score 1 | New/Sortable Box Score 2 | New/Sortable Box Score 3

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Slippery Rock University softball team opened the season with three losses in day one of the Shaw University Softball Challenge.
 
Emily Lobdell tossed a complete game against Alderson-Broaddus, but The Rock was unable provide offensive support and dropped a 4-0 decision to open the 2014 season.

Kylee Gasper went three for three with a pair of solo homeruns to lead the Battlers offense.
 
The Rock went toe-to-toe with Fairmont State before the Fighting Falcons escaped with a 4-2 victory late in the seventh inning.

Slippery Rock struck first with a run in the second inning on an RBI single from Ashley Samluk. The Rock loaded the bases with one out but were unable to plate another run and settled for the 1-0 lead.

Samluk doubled and scored on an RBI single from McKenzie Popatak in the fourth inning, putting Slippery Rock ahead 2-0.

The Fighting Falcons answered with a run in the fifth and trailed 2-1 heading into the seventh inning. Iacobacci led off the seventh with a homerun to tie the game at 2-2 before Aversa belted a two-run dinger to give Fairmont State the 4-2 comeback victory.

Carly DeRose tossed a complete game and struck out seven, but allowed four runs (three earned) to pick up the loss in her collegiate debut.

Samluk went two for three with a double, a run scored and an RBI to pace The Rock's offense.
 
Slippery Rock found itself in another battle with Concord and once again fell victim to a late defeat as the Mountain Lions broke free for a 4-3 victory in the seventh inning.

The Mountain Lions jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning, before Samluk smashed a solo homerun in the second to tie the game at 1-1.

Concord plated another run in the third inning to take a 2-1 lead, but Slippery Rock loaded the bases in the fourth and scored a pair of runs to take a 3-2 lead.

The Mountain Lions knotted the game at 3-3 in the fifth and picked up the win on a walk-off hit in the seventh.

Samluk led The Rock with three hits, two runs, an RBI, a double and a homerun.

Sarah Petrash picked up the loss after allowing three runs in five innings pitched.
 
The Rock returns to action Sunday, February 23 in day two of the Shaw University Softball Challenge. Slippery Rock will face Winston-Salem at 11:00 a.m. before concluding the tournament against West Virginia State at 1:00 p.m.