Box Score
 
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team lost its final game of its spring break trip in Clearwater, Florida on Tuesday night to No. 17 Saint Leo University, 24-2, at Jack Russell Stadium.
 
With the majority of its non-conference schedule now over, Slippery Rock (7-4), now turns its attention to its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division schedule starting with a four-game series against Mercyhurst University March 14-15.
 
Saint Leo (18-4), which was ranked 17^th in nation by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in the organization's latest poll, scored 10 runs over the first three innings to break the game open while holding The Rock's bats to three hits to earn the win.
 
The highlight of The Rock's night came in the bottom of the third inning when senior Jake Nogalo crushed his first home run of the season with junior first baseman Kyle Vozar, who walked to lead off the inning, on base for SRU's two runs.
 
However, the rest of the game belonged to Saint Leo which scored twice in the fourth inning, once apiece in the fifth and sixth before tallying eight runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
 
Nogalo heads into PSAC-West play leading SRU in batting average (.409), runs scored (18), hits (18) and tied for first with senior Adam Urbania with 12 RBI.
 
A pair of freshmen were responsible for The Rock's other two hits Tuesday as Davis Smith and Christian Porterfield both had singles.
 
Sophomore Preston Falascino (0-1) took the loss on the mound for Slippery Rock after allowing 10 runs on eight hits and two walks while also striking out two over 2.1 innings.
 
Saint Leo was led by Alex Mata, who was 5-for-6 with five runs, two home runs and four RBI. Pitcher Jordan Pendleton (3-0) went five innings for Saint Leo to earn the win.
 
Slippery Rock starts its series against Mercyhurst with a doubleheader on Saturday in Erie, Pa. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.