CLERMONT, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University softball team split a pair of games Wednesday from the National Training Center Tournament in Clermont, Florida.
 
In the opener, defensive miscues cost The Rock an early lead and eventually led to a 5-2 loss against Wayne State College (Neb.). Slippery Rock rebounded with a strong performance against St. Cloud State, defeating the Huskies 5-1. With the split, Slippery Rock moved to 3-5 on the season, while Wayne State improved to 9-2 and St. Cloud State dropped to 11-8.
 
Junior outfielder Megan Maloney led the offense with three hits on the day, going 3-for-6 with a run scored and her team-leading sixth stolen base of the season. Sophomore centerfielder Eliza Sykes went 2-for-6 with a run and a RBI, followed by freshman first baseman Allie Fischer who went 2-for-3 and a run scored. Freshman Lauren Hawley knocked a triple and picked up two RBI and Katie Kaiser capped the top offensive performers with a double and two RBI.
 
Sophomore pitcher Carly DeRose (1-2) was rewarded with her first win of the season after giving up a run on six hits, three walks and three strikeouts in a seven inning complete game performance over St. Cloud State.
 
Freshman Brooke Dawson (2-2) received the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
 
Game One: Wayne State College 5, Slippery Rock 2
A series of miscues allowed the Wildcats to plate a run in the bottom of the first, after a pass ball and error gave Wayne State the early 1-0 edge.
 
The Wildcats added three more in the second frame, aided by an error, an infield single and a wild pitch to take a 4-0 lead after two.
 
Maloney led off the top of the fourth with a single to centerfield and stole second before eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly from senior Alaynna Beers, bringing The Rock within 4-1. Wayne State answered with a run in the bottom of the frame to push the lead back to 5-1 after four.
 
Trailing 5-1 in the top of the seventh, SRU staged a late rally by loading the bases with one out. Sophomore Stacey Herzog was hit by a pitch to plate a run and bring Slippery Rock within 5-2, but The Rock could not complete the comeback after a run was gunned out at the plate and went on to lose by a final of 5-2.
 
Game Two: Slippery Rock 5, St. Cloud State 1
DeRose cruised through the first three innings and faced one more than the minimum as the game went scoreless into the fourth inning. The Huskies struck first after leading off the fourth with a double and a triple, but DeRose stood strong and limited St. Cloud State to what would be their lone run of the game.
 
The Rock stormed back in the bottom of the fourth. Sykes tied the game with a RBI single, before Kaiser put SRU ahead 3-1 with a two-out two RBI double.
 
St. Cloud State threatened again in the fifth after loading the bases, but DeRose walked the tightrope and escaped the jam unscathed.
 
Hawley put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fifth after smashing a two-out two RBI triple to give The Rock the 5-1 lead. DeRose finished off the complete game win to pick up her first victory of the season.
 
Due to inclement weather, the Salem (Va.) Invitational Tournament has been cancelled. The cancellation will force The Rock to stay in Florida and pick up extra games at the NTC Tournament. SRU will play two games Thursday, the first at 5 p.m. (opponent to be determined) before a rematch against Kutztown at 7 p.m.