KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team split a doubleheader with Grand Valley State University Saturday on day one of the Sunshine State Classic at Osceola Park in Kissimmee, Florida.
 
SRU dropped game one to the Lakers, 5-2, but rebounded to salvage the day with a 7-2 victory in the second contest. The split moves The Rock's record to 4-2 on the season overall. GVSU exits the doubleheader with an overall record of 8-6.
 
GAME ONE: Grand Valley State 5 – Slippery Rock 2
SRU played even with the Lakers for three innings, but a four-run fourth inning for Grand Valley State proved to be the difference in game one.
 
The Rock entered the third inning trailing 1-0, but quickly went to work on tying the game when Matt Mandes drew a leadoff walk. Two batters later Mandes advanced to third base on a GVSU fielding error. Tyler Walters would eventually drive Mandes home when he slipped a two-out single through the left side to even the score at 1-1.
 
However, Grand Valley State managed to break the game open just two innings later as the Lakers took advantage of two Rock fielding errors with three hits sprinkled in to score four runs to take a 5-1 lead. SRU chipped away at its deficit with a run in the sixth thanks to a RBI-double by Joe Campagna, but could not complete its comeback in the three-run loss.
 
Alex Pantuso (0-2) was solid on the mound in the loss. The senior hurler lasted 4.2 innings, giving up six hits and three walks while recording eight strikeouts. Of his five runs allowed only one was earned. Pantuso's eight strikeouts increased his career total to 197. He now needs 21 strikeouts to break Lou Trivino's SRU record 217 career strikeouts.
 
The Rock's bullpen trio of Shawn Holman, Alex Worthington and Andrew Null combined to pitch 2.1 shutout and hitless innings in relief of Pantuso.
 
Walters and Campagna had Slippery Rock's only two hits in the opener. Walters also walked once.
 
Grand Valley State's Ryan Arnold (3-0) struck out 12 batters in the seven-inning complete game victory.
 
GAME TWO: Slippery Rock 7 – Grand Valley State 2
Slippery Rock wasted little time getting its offense going in game two thanks to a four-run second inning in which Abraham Mow connected on a two-run home run, the first of his collegiate career, to go with a bases loaded walk of Christian Porterfield and another run off of a GVSU fielding error.
 
Mow continued to his big game with a double in the third inning before advancing to third base on a Ray Scala single. However, Mow and Scala would be left stranded as Lakers reliever Jason Mason was able to work out of the jam and keep GVSU's deficit at 4-0.
 
The Rock continued to roll in the fourth with two more runs by way of a RBI-double by Campagna that plated Porterfield before coming home himself on a single to centerfield by Frankie Jezioro. Scala capped the inning off with another two-out RBI, a double through the right side.
 
While SRU's bats were busy piling up runs, starting pitcher Ryan Tapp (2-0) was cruising through the Grand Valley State lineup. He did not allow a hit through 3.1 innings and retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced. The Lakers were eventually able to score a pair of runs off of Tapp in the fourth, but he successfully avoided further damage by stranding runners on first and second with a strikeout of Derrick Ellins.
 
Tapp closed out his second start of the season by once again stranding a pair of base runners in the fifth inning before giving way to Chris Anastas in the sixth. Anastas came on to throw two shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out three batters to secure the 7-2 Rock victory.
 
Mow finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBI and coming a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Campagna, Scala and Jezioro recorded two hits apiece with Campagna tallying two doubles and Scala stealing one base. Wood and Porterfield accounted for The Rock's remaining two hits while Walters walked twice.
 
Tapp improved to 2-0 on the year after scattering two runs on three hits and four walks to go with three strikeouts.
 
Austin LaDoux paced Grand Valley State with two hits. GVSU used six pitchers in game two. Starting pitcher Joey Nate surrendered four runs in just 1.2 innings of work in the loss.
 
Slippery Rock continues its time at the Sunshine State Classic with a nine-inning game 3 p.m. Sunday against Wayne State University at Osceola Park Stadium.
 
 

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