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JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Rock softball team exploded for 24 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Pitt-Johnstown Monday afternoon.
 
The sweep improves Slippery Rock to 11-15 overall and 8-8 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division standings, while UPJ falls to 4-20 overall and 4-12 in league play.
 
Behind a strong start from sophomore Carly DeRose, The Rock exploded for 14 runs in the second and third innings of the opener to down the Mountain Cats 14-1 in five innings. The Rock's 14-run outburst was the highest run output of the season for SRU. After being held in check through three innings of the nightcap, Slippery Rock surged ahead with 10 runs in the fourth through sixth innings and cruised to a 10-2 victory to pick up the sweep.
 
13 different Rock players picked up hits, 12 scored a run, 11 picked up a RBI and nine recorded multiple hits in the blowout victories.
 
In the opener, Slippery Rock broke a scoreless game with five runs in the second inning, highlighted by a two-out RBI triple off the bat of Katie Kaiser.
 
UPJ answered with a run in the bottom of the second before The Rock busted the game open with nine runs in the top of the third. Eight Slippery Rock batters reached base and six runs scored before the Mountain Cats recorded an out. By the end of the inning, Slippery Rock held a dominant 14-1 advantage. DeRose cruised through the next three frames as SRU picked up the win in five innings.
 
Kaiser went 1-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored from the leadoff position, while junior Megan Maloney picked up a pair of hits in four at-bats with three RBI and a run scored.
 
Freshmen Allie Fischer and Emily Nagle each went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored. Fischer notched two RBIs on a double and Nagle picked up a RBI with a double and triple to her credit.
 
DeRose tossed a complete game, allowing one run on five hits and four strikeouts in five innings of work to pick up the win and improve to 7-7 on the season.
 
In the nightcap, Pitt-Johnstown struck first with a run in the third to take a brief 1-0 lead before Slippery Rock plated two runs to take a 2-1 lead after four.
 
Ashley Samluk roped a two-RBI double in a four-run fifth inning that put The Rock ahead 6-1 and SRU tacked on four more in the sixth to extend its lead to 10-2.
 
Freshman Brooke Dawson retired the side in order to pick up the complete game victory and give The Rock the sweep. Dawson allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and six strikeouts in six innings of work to improve to 4-5 on the season.
 
The first through sixth hitters in the SRU lineup combined for 13 hits and eight runs. Samluk led the way after going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, a double and a triple.
 
Senior Alaynna Beers went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and RBI, followed by Caitlin Baxter with a trio of hits in four at-bats with a double and two runs scored. Freshman catcher McKenzie Garland went 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI in her first collegiate start.
 
The Rock returns to action Friday at Indiana (Pa.). First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.