New/Sortable Box Score
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team's season came to an end with a 16-1 loss in five innings to California (Pa.) in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division action Monday afternoon from the SRU Softball Complex.
 
First place and No. 14 Cal U scored early and often in a 16-1 win over The Rock in Game 1. With the loss, Slippery Rock was officially eliminated from the PSAC playoffs. Slippery Rock and California were scheduled to play a second game before the skies opened up and the game was cancelled due to wet field conditions.
 
The Vulcans opened the game with a commanding 13-0 lead after two innings of play. Natalie Wideman capped an eight run first inning with a grand slam to straightaway center and added her second four-run blast, this time to right-center, in the top of the second.
 
Freshman catcher McKenzie Popatak led off the bottom of the second with a towering solo shot over the wall in left-center to put The Rock on the board, but the hosts would get no closer as the 14^th-ranked Vulcans hit back-to-back solo home runs in the third and a solo blast in the fifth to win 16-1 in five innings.
 
Senior pitcher Emily Lobdell fell to 9-11 on the season after allowing 16 runs on 11 hits and four strikeouts in five innings.
 
Popatak went 1-for-2 with a home run to lead the SRU offense. Sophomore shortstop Katie Kaiser went 1-for-3 and junior outfielder Alaynna Beers went 1-for-2 with a double to cap The Rock's offense.
 
No. 14 California utilized five home runs to cruise to the victory. Wideman finished the day 3-for-4 with a pair of grand slams and eight RBIs, while Shelby Lia, Stephani Ellis and Natalya Smarra each added a long ball. Alex Sagl picked up the win after allowing a run on three hits and seven strikeouts to improve to 19-2 on the season.
 
With the loss, Slippery Rock finishes the season at 16-26 overall and 11-16 in conference play. The Vulcans extended their win streak to an impressive 26-straight and now sit at 30-4 overall and 23-0 in conference games entering the PSAC playoff tournament.
 
The Rock ends the season in fifth place of the PSAC-West.