AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team overcame an early five-run deficit, but couldn't maintain its lead Tuesday as The Rock dropped a nine-inning contest to Minnesota Duluth, 10-8, at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale, Florida.
 
Minnesota Duluth (4-4) scored five runs over the first two innings only to see The Rock (3-11) rally back by rattling off six unanswered runs to take a 6-5 lead heading into the sixth inning. Carson Kessler led the charge with a pair of RBI-singles in the second and fifth innings.
 
However, Minnesota Duluth answered SRU's spurt with a decisive three-run sixth inning. The Rock cut into the Bulldogs' 8-6 lead in the bottom half of the frame thanks to an RBI-single from Tyler Walters, but Minnesota Duluth once again countered with two more runs in the seventh.
 
A SRU comeback bid in the ninth, which started with a home run by Kessler followed by Matt Mandes reaching base on a fielding error with one out, was cut short by UMD closer Wes Mleziva, who regrouped to record the final two outs of the contest to give the Bulldogs their 10-6 victory.
 
Kessler paced The Rock with a 3-for-5, three-RBI, one-home run performance. The homer was his first of the season. Walters went 3-for-5 as well in addition to scoring one run, driving in another, hitting one double and stealing his first base of the season.
 
Kyle Wise also had a multi-hit outing, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI and one double. Five other Rock players accounted for hits as well including Preston Falascino, who followed up a dominant pitching performance against Ashland earlier in the week with one double and one RBI. Leadoff hitter Ty Zimmerman reached base twice via walks to score two runs.
 
Jay Cortese got the start on the mound for SRU, but lasted just 1.1 innings after giving up four runs, only two of which were earned, on five hits and three walks. Andrew Null (0-2) was the pitcher of record for The Rock; he came on in relief of Cortese for 4.2 innings, striking out four batters while allowing four runs on nine hits.
 
Ryan Huey pitched the seventh inning before giving way to Wyatt Daugherty, who scattered one hit over two scoreless innings.
 
Alex Wojciechowski led the Bulldogs by going 3-for-5 with one home run and five RBI.
 
Slippery Rock will play Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference rival West Chester University Wednesday in a doubleheader at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.