SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team swept a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division doubleheader with California University of Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon at the SRU Softball Complex.
Lauren Hawley tallied a home run, five hits and four RBI on the day.
Brooke Dawson hurled a complete-game shutout in game one and The Rock posted five runs on 11 hits behind her for a 5-0 victory. Dawson's win was the 30th of her career tying her for first on SRU Softball's all-time wins list.
Hawley tallied three RBI including a two-run home run in SRU's 6-1 game two victory over the Vulcans.
Camie Shumaker hurled four strong innings en route to her sixth win of 2018.
Slippery Rock improves to 17-14 on the season and 4-4 in PSAC West play, while California is 11-11 overall and 5-3 in league games.
GAME ONE: Slippery Rock 5 – California 0
SRU registered runs in the first three innings of play and Dawson cruised through Vulcans' lineup in a 5-0 shut out victory.
Megan Brown singled with one out and stole second putting a runner in scoring position for Hawley who singled through the left side to give The Rock an early 1-0 lead.
Caitlyn MacKelvey got the second inning started with a single. She then stole second and later,
Emily Nagle reached on an error moving MacKelvey to third and putting runners on the corners. Brown walked to load the bases, and following a pitching change,
Kailey Myers ripped a single up the middle scoring two runs.
In the third,
Allie Fischer singled with one out to start the rally. MacKelvey then singled to put two runners on. Following an out,
Alexa Guglielmino singled to left scoring Fischer. Nagle then singled scoring MacKelvey giving SRU a 5-0 advantage.
Dawson ran into a little trouble in the bottom of the fourth when California loaded the bases with one out. However, the senior punched out the next two batters to end the threat.
CU got a runner into scoring position again the bottom of the sixth, but Dawson worked out of danger.
She set the side down in order in the bottom of the seventh en route to a 5-0 victory.
Dawson (5-8) hurled the complete-game shutout allowing just five hits and four walks while punching out seven.
Emilee Downing (4-2) registered the loss going 1.2 innings surrendering three runs (one earned) on four hits and one walk while striking out three.
GAME TWO: Slippery Rock 6 – California 1
Hawley's three RBI and efficient pitching from Shumaker, Dawson and
Andria Copelli helped Rock earn a 6-1 victory in game two.
Hawley picked up right where she left off in game one in the top of the first. Nagle and Brown began the inning with back-to-back singles. After an out, Hawley singled to left allowing Nagle to score.
Becca Roesch then reached on an error that allowed Brown to come across making it an early 2-0 advantage.
Slippery Rock pushed two more across in the third inning after Brown started the frame with a walk. Hawley came to the plate with one out and crushed the first pitch over the wall in left center for a two-run tater. It was her second home run of the season.
California answered back in the bottom of the third inning when Logan Blake led off with a single. Alexa Pastor reached on a throwing error, Brooke Wilson reached on a fielder's choice keeping two runners on with one out. With two outs, Carlee Wickstrom singled to left scoring Pastor for an unearned run.
In the top of the fourth, Slippery Rock manufactured another run.
McKenzie Garland led off with a single. Guglielmino laid down a bunt to sacrifice, but instead beat out the throw earning a single and putting two runners on. Nagle then put down a sacrifice bunt moving the runners to third and second. Brown grounded out to third base allowing Garland to score giving SRU a 5-1 advantage.
Shumaker put one batter on base in the bottom of the fourth, but went 1-2-3 to end the frame.
Copelli entered in the bottom of the fifth and allowed runners to reach third and second, but worked out of trouble.
Following a walk in the bottom of the sixth, Dawson entered the game for Copelli and got the next three outs.
Slippery Rock got one more unearned run in the top of the seventh and Dawson finished out the victory over California, 6-1.
Shumaker (6-4) earned the win going 4.0 innings allowing one run (unearned) on three hits and two walks while striking out two.
Carly Konopka (4-3) took the loss going 4.0 innings surrendering five runs (four earned) on eight hits and one walk while punching out three.
Slippery Rock is back in action Monday, April 16 with a non-conference matchup at Point Park University. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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