GREENSBURG, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team opened Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition with a doubleheader split Sunday at Seton Hill University.
 
Slippery Rock took the opener, 7-4, but Seton Hill salvaged its day by pulling off a 6-5 comeback victory in game two.
 
With the split, Slippery Rock's record moves to 8-6 overall and 1-1 in league games. Seton Hill exits the day at 6-10 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC West.
 
Two highlights of the day for The Rock belonged to the senior duo of Tyler Walters and Alex Pantuso.

Walters launched a solo home run in Sunday's opener, the 40th of his career. He is now tied with SRU Hall of Fame inductee Nate Thimons for the most home runs in SRU history. Walters is also just four home runs away from matching Kutztown's Shayne Houck for the most homers in PSAC history.
 
Pantuso rattled off 11 strikeouts in game one to move into a tie with former Rock great, and current Oakland A's prospect, Lou Trivino for the most strikeouts in program history at 217.
 
GAME ONE: Slippery Rock 7 – Seton Hill 4
SRU trailed Seton Hill early on, but totaled five runs over the final two innings to pull off the comeback victory.
 
Slippery Rock loaded the bases via an error and consecutive walks in the first inning before Christian Porterfield pushed a fly out to right field that allowed Abraham Mow to tag from third base and score, giving SRU the early 1-0 lead before SHU pitcher Perry DellaValle (1-4) was able to get out of the jam.
 
Seton Hill followed The Rock's lead in the bottom of the frame by loading the bases and eventually scoring one run when Pantuso hit Ryan Greico to force in the Griffins' first run of the game. However, like his counterpart, Pantuso was able to get out of the inning and limit the damage to just one run.
 
The Griffins tacked on another run in the second, but the lead would be short-lived as Walters brought SRU even with SHU in the third inning with his school-record tying home run that easily cleared the left field fence.
 
Pantuso did not allow a hit over the third and fourth innings, but Seton Hill was able to get to him for a run in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Chris Law to put the Griffins back on top 3-2.
 
Slippery Rock responded in the sixth as Joe Campagna roped a single to right field to leadoff the inning before advancing to second on a wild pitch and to third on a Mitchell Wood groundout to give The Rock a runner on third with one out.  Frankie Jezioro proceeded to step to the plate and calmly deliver a game-tying single to left field to plate Campagna.
 
Following Jezioro's big hit, Kyle Wise produced an infield single and one batter later Mow turned in a clutch single of his own that scored both Jezioro and Wise, giving The Rock a 5-3 lead. SRU added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh by way of a sacifice fly by Campagna and a run-scoring double by Wood.
 
The Griffins got one run back in the bottom of the seventh, but never seriously threatened The Rock's lead as relief pitcher Wyatt Daugherty closed out the 7-4 victory.
 
Pantuso (1-2) picked up his first win of the season after giving SRU six strong innings, with 11 strikeouts to go with three runs allowed on four hits and four walks. His 11 strikeouts were three off of his career-high; he struck out 14 batters against Kutztown a season ago.
 
Walters went 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored, one stolen base and one home run. Mow drove in two runs with Porterfield, Campagna, Wood and Jezioro all driving in runs as well with Jezioro also stealing his team-high sixth base of the year..
 
GAME TWO: Seton Hill 6 – Slippery Rock 5
Slippery Rock jumped out to a seemingly safe 5-0 lead in game two, but Seton Hill rallied to score six unanswered runs to take game two 6-5 and avoid the home sweep.
 
Tyler Merigliano had a great outing at the plate for Slippery Rock in game two, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, one run scored, a double and a walk. Wood also gave a multi-hit performance on a 2-for-2, one-run, one-walk outing.
 
Jezioro and Michael Collins accounted for The Rock's remaining two hits while Campagna notched his second RBI on day as well.
 
Matt Gordon got the start on the mound in the nightcap for The Rock. He went six innings, giving up five runs, only two of which were earned, on seven hits and one walk, his first of the season. Gordon also had three strikeouts. Tanner Stanz fell to 1-1 on the year after coming on for Gordon in the seventh and allowing the deciding run.
 
As was the case in the opener, SRU once again struck first in game two as Merigliano turned in a single to right field that scored Porterfield from third base. Merigliano continued to supply The Rock with a surplus of offense in the fourth inning when with the bases loaded he drove a double to center field that pushed SRU's lead to 4-0. SRU added its fifth run of the contest later in the inning when with the bases once again loaded Campagna earned a walk to bring in Merigliano from third.
 
SRU had the opportunity to extend its lead further in the fifth inning when Seton Hill pitcher Neal McDermott (1-0) walked the bases loaded with no outs. However, McDermott found his control and registered three straight outs to keep the Griffins' deficit at five runs. Slippery Rock's inability to add additional insurance runs proved costly.
 
Seton Hill chipped away at The Rock's lead with two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to even the score at 5-5 going into the sixth inning. Following a scoreless sixth, Seton Hill produced the game-winning run in the seventh when Tom McCarthey, who singled to begin the inning before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt and third on a balk, scored after Colton Carney connected on a walk-off single.
 
The Rock and Griffins will finish off their four-game series with a doubleheader Monday at Jack Critchfield Park. First pitch of game one for what will be SRU's home opener is set for 2 p.m.
 


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