Game 1 Box Score I
Game 2 Box Score CLERMONT, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University softball team opened the 2015 season with a two-game split at the National Training Center Tournament in Clermont, Florida.
The Rock squandered a late lead in game one after allowing four runs in the seventh inning as they fell to Urbana University, 7-5, before bouncing back with a decisive 7-1 victory over Notre Dame College (Ohio) in game two.
Junior shortstop
Katie Kaiser teamed up with sophomore
Caitlin Baxter to pace the Slippery Rock offense. In two games, Kaiser went 3-for-8 with three runs, while Baxter was 2-for-6 with three RBI. Slippery Rock featured an aggressive attack as seven different players recorded a stolen base on the day, led by junior
Megan Maloney with two swipes.
Sophomore pitcher
Carly DeRose received the no decision in the first game after allowing three runs (2 ER) in five innings against Urbana. Freshman
Marissa Harris was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs (3 ER) in two innings of work.
Freshman pitcher
Brooke Dawson was dominant in her first collegiate start, picking up the win after limiting the Falcons to one run on two hits, with seven strikeouts over six innings. Sophomore
Sarah Petrash appeared in relief and retired all three batters she faced.
Game One: Urbana 7 – Slippery Rock 5Slippery Rock entered the seventh inning with a 5-3 lead, but couldn't close the door as the Blue Knights stormed back with four runs in the top of the seventh to steal the game, 7-5.
Urbana took the first lead of the game on a home run in the second inning by first baseman Katelyn Edwards. Slippery Rock answered in the bottom half of the frame, as
Stacey Herzog reached on an error and stole second before senior
Alaynna Beers roped a RBI double to left center to knot the game at 1-1.
After two scoreless frames, the action heated up as Urbana regained the lead, 2-1, in the top of the fifth. Maloney answered in the bottom of the fifth with a RBI double that put SRU back on top 3-2, before a pair of walks loaded the bases for The Rock with two outs. A sharp grounder found leather as the Blue Knights were able to escape the jam.
Urbana tied things up again in the sixth, 3-3, before allowing a pair of unearned runs to give The Rock a 5-3 lead. Three walks and a SRU error doomed The Rock, as the Blue Knights put four runs across the plate to snag the 7-5 win.
Game Two: Slippery Rock 7 – Notre Dame College 1The Rock bounced back from the disappointing late inning loss in game one to deliver a knockout blow of their own with six runs in the final two innings of a 7-1 triumph over Notre Dame College.
Baxter put SRU ahead 1-0 in the first inning with a sacrifice fly to center. The Falcons scored what would be their lone run in the bottom of the third on a two-out double to centerfield, knotting the game at 1-1.
The score remained unchanged into the sixth, before The Rock batted around the order to the tune of five runs. Herzog and Welch capped the inning with a pair of RBI doubles, before Baxter delivered her third RBI of the game in the top of the seventh to push the score to 7-1.
Petrash retired the Falcons 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh to give The Rock its first win of the 2015 season. Freshman starting pitcher Dawson was a force on the mound in her first collegiate appearance, striking out seven and scattering two hits across six innings of work.
Slippery Rock returns to action Sunday with a pair of games against Tiffin University (1 p.m.) and Mercy College (3 p.m.) in day two of the NTC Tournament.
