GREENSBURG, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team swept a doubleheader against Mercyhurst University Friday in Greensburg, Pennsylvania at the Seton Hill University Softball Complex. Brooke Dawson became Slippery Rock softball's all-time career wins leader in the process.
 
Dawson (6-8) pitched four strong innings in game one earning the victory while Becca Roesch went 3-for-4 with four RBI aiding SRU in an 8-7 win over the Lakers.
 
Game two proved to be more of a pitcher's dual as Camie Shumaker (7-4) hurled a complete-game surrendering just one run in the win.
 
Slippery Rock improves to 19-14 overall and 6-4 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division games, while Mercyhurst is 6-24 and 3-9 in league games.
 
GAME ONE: Slippery Rock 8 – Mercyhurst 7
In a back and forth affair, The Rock pounded out 10 hits. Mercyhurst roped 11 hits, but were unable to make a late comeback as SRU held on for an 8-7 victory.
 
The Lakers scored in the first inning on a Sarah Koscho sacrifice fly, but The Rock answered back. With runners in scoring position, Roesch roped a 2 RBI single giving SRU an early 2-1 lead.
 
Mercyhurst tacked another run on in the top of the second, but Slippery Rock put up a crooked number in the bottom half of the inning. McKenzie Garland led off the inning and later came around to score on an error. Lauren Hawley drove in Alexa Guglielmino on an RBI single and with two runners on later in the frame, Roesch stroked a 2 RBI double to put The Rock ahead, 6-2.
 
The Lakers tallied one more run in the top of the third inning and Slippery Rock would add another in bottom of the fourth on a Myers home run. It was her third home run of 2018.
 
After Mercyhurst scored one in the top of the sixth, Hawley ripped her third home run of the season to give SRU an 8-4 lead.
 
MU fought back in the top of the seventh adding three runs and getting the tying run to the plate, but Paige Flore worked out of danger to get the final out and secure the victory, 8-7.
 
 
Dawson went 4.0 innings surrendering three earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two and earned the victory. She has 31 career wins and is now Slippery Rock softball's all-time career wins leader.
 
Flore pitched 3.0 innings allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits.
 
Tori Pierucci (4-11) earned the loss for MU going 3.1 innings surrendering seven runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while punching out three.
 
GAME TWO: Slippery Rock 3 – Mercyhurst 1
Shumaker was solid in the circle and The Rock managed some timely hits en route to a 3-1 win.
 
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning. Emily Nagle and Megan Brown tallied back-to-back hits and Hawley later loaded the bases with one out. Roesch then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Nagle giving The Rock a 1-0 advantage.
 
Mercyhurst later tied the game in the top of the fourth on an RBI single Jamie Ward scoring pinch-runner, Megan Christner.
 
Slippery Rock and Mercyhurst would remain tied at 1-1 until the bottom of the sixth inning. After Roesch singled, Cortney Claypoole came in to pinch-run. Allie Fischer dropped a bunt down to move her to second. Claypoole then stole third and Garland drove her in with an RBI single. Next, Leah Vith pinch-hit for Caitlyn MacKelvey and ripped an RBI double to give The Rock a 3-1 lead.
 
Shumaker came out to finish the contest in the top of the seventh. After a leadoff double, the freshman retired the next three batters earning the win.
 
She went all seven innings allowing just one run on six hits and one walk while striking out one.
 
Heather Nye (1-5) took the loss going 5.1 innings surrendering three runs on eight hits and one walk while punching out one.
 
With the sweep, Slippery Rock closes out the regular season series against Mercyhurst and finishes the year with a 3-1 record over the Lakers.
 
SRU is back in action tomorrow with a PSAC West doubleheader against Edinboro at the SRU Softball Complex. Tomorrow's games will be Slippery Rock's Play4TheCure Cancer Awareness Games. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.




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