Live Stats (Fri. @ IUP) I
Live Stats (Sat. vs. MER)SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team looks to improve its playoff hopes this weekend with three doubleheaders in as many days.
The Rock, currently in fifth place and one spot out of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference playoffs, looks to improve its postseason tournament chances with a doubleheader at fourth-place Indiana (Pa.) Friday. The Rock then returns to the SRU Softball Complex Saturday for Senior Day against Mercyhurst, before turning back around and playing at Mercyhurst Sunday.
Friday's games are set to begin at 2:30 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday are both slated for 1 p.m. starts.
SENIOR DAY Prior to Saturday's doubleheader, the graduating class of
Alaynna Beers,
Haley Sherer and
Taylor Welch will be honored for their dedication, commitment and contributions to The Rock softball program.
LIVE COVERAGE Live statistics will be available for the games on Friday and Saturday courtesy of the Indiana and Slippery Rock athletic communication offices at the links above. Updates will also be available at the official SRU Athletics Twitter page (
@Rock_Athletics).
SCOUTING THE ROCKRecord: Slippery Rock enters Friday's doubleheader at IUP with an 11-15 overall record and 8-8 mark in PSAC-West action.
Last Time Out: The Rock is coming off wins of 14-1 and 10-2 over UPJ Monday.
Overview: Slippery Rock ranks in the top half of the PSAC in most offensive and pitching categories, but has been let down by its defense in its losses. The Rock is sixth with a .295 team batting average and sixth with 134 runs scored, while the pitching staff is ninth with a 2.97 ERA and ninth in opponent batting average at .260. SRU has been aggressive on the bases and ranks first in the PSAC with 45 stolen bases. SRU ranks 14th in the PSAC in fielding with 44 total errors.
Top Bats: Junior
Katie Kaiser leads the team with a .340 batting average, 32 hits, 19 runs and 16 RBI. Beers is hitting .338 with 27 hits, 11 runs and 15 RBI, followed by Welch with a .318 batting average, 12 runs, 14 RBI and a team-high eight doubles. Sophomore
Caitlin Baxter and freshman
Emily Nagle compliment the offense with batting averages of .333 and .320, respectively.
Top Arms: Sophomore
Carly DeRose leads the rotation at 7-7 with a 2.41 ERA and 65 strikeouts, with nine complete games in 84.1 total innings. Freshman
Brooke Dawson is 4-5 on the season with a 3.32 ERA and 55 strikeouts over 57 innings pitched.
Head Coach: Slippery Rock head coach
Stacey Rice enters her first season in 2015 after serving three years as an assistant coach and two years as a graduate assistant with The Rock. Before beginning her coaching career at SRU, Rice was one of the most decorated players and prolific hitters in program history. Rice holds the all-time records for runs scored, hits, doubles, total bases, walks and at-bats while ranking second all-time in home runs and RBIs.
Up Next: After this weekend's slate, Slippery Rock turns its attention to another three-day stretch of doubleheader action, including a home-and-away series with first-place Gannon Tuesday (@GU) and Wednesday (@SRU).
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON HAWKSRecord: Indiana enters Friday at 10-12 overall and 8-4 in conference action. After starting 0-4 in PSAC play, the Crimson Hawks have scored eight or more runs during their current eight-game win streak.
Last Time Out: The Crimson Hawks swept Clarion, 12-4 and 8-1, in their most recent action Tuesday.
All-Time vs. SRU: In 103 all-time meetings since 1977, IUP owns a 64-39 advantage over The Rock. Slippery Rock defeated the Crimson Hawks, 9-8 and 13-6, earlier this spring.
Overview: Indiana features a prolific offense, but has been undone by shaky pitching in its losses. The Crimson Hawks rank third in the PSAC with a .326 team batting average and sixth with 134 runs scored, while the pitching staff ranks 14th with a 4.34 ERA and 15th with an opponent batting average of .320.
Top Bats: Megan Gould ranks third in the conference with a .443 batting average, second with 11 stolen bases and leads the team with 31 hits. Lauren Hogue is tied for third in the PSAC with six home runs and is second with a .694 slugging percentage, while adding 20 RBI. Hannah Mercer is batting .357 with team-highs of 20 runs scored and 21 RBI. Taylor Mercurio is hitting .403, while Taylor Mercurio and Stefanie McCoy are each hitting .373.
Top Arms: Alexa Campbell anchors the rotation at 5-6 overall with a 3.32 ERA. Campbell has logged nine complete games with 71.2 innings pitched in 11 starts. Amanda Spindler is 3-6 with a 4.43 ERA in 10 starts.
Head Coach: Bill Graham is in his fifth season as the helm of the Crimson Hawks. Graham was named the PSAC-Central Coach of the Year after leading IUP to a conference title and World Series berth in 2011. Prior to IUP, he spent 17 years as a coach at Ashland, Saginaw Valley State, Edinboro, Gannon and Penn State-Behrend.
SCOUTING THE LAKERSRecord: Mercyhurst enters Friday's doubleheader at Clarion with a 10-20 overall record and 4-11 clip in league play.
Last Time Out: Edinboro swept the Lakers, 4-2 and 8-4, in their most recent action Wednesday.
All-Time vs. SRU: Mercyhurst owns a 29-23 edge over The Rock in the all-time series dating back to 1982. Slippery Rock went 3-1 against the Lakers last spring and have won six of the last eight in the series.
Overview: Mercyhurst ranks in the bottom half of the league in both offensive and pitching categories, while recording a league-high 47 errors. The Lakers rank 10th with a .274 team batting average and 11th with 99 runs scored, while the pitching staff is 15th with a 4.52 ERA and 11th in opponent batting average at .293.
Top Bats: Rachel DiBartolomeo is batting .298 with 12 RBI and team-highs of 28 hits, 18 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. Becky Malaga is hitting .325 with 11 RBI, while Kayla Larson is batting .310 with a team-high 14 RBI. Allison Yule leads the team with a .451 batting average and seven doubles.
Top Arms: Annie Truelove and Alexandra Puckly anchor the rotation and have logged 79.1 and 75 innings from the mound, respectively. Truelove is 4-11 with a 4.50 ERA, while Puckly is 5-7 with a 4.57 ERA on the season.
Head Coach: Leanne Baker entered her second season as the head coach of the Mercyhurst softball program in 2015. Baker arrived at Mercyhurst after serving as the head coach at Southern Vermont College for three seasons. Baker is a graduate of Edinboro University, where she played collegiagetly.
