SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team split a doubleheader Sunday against California University (Pa.) at Jack Critchfield Park and moved into first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division standings in the process.
 
After losing the opener to the Vulcans, 4-3, Slippery Rock exploded for a 20-5 victory in game two to earn the split. Game two marked the second time this season that SRU has scored at least 20 runs in a game.
 
Slippery Rock exits the weekend with an overall record of 27-13 and a PSAC West mark of 18-6. With four conference games remaining in the regular season, Slippery Rock, which has already clinched a berth into the PSAC Tournament, is one game ahead of Mercyhurst (28-10, 17-7) for first place in the PSAC West standings. The last time SRU won a PSAC West regular season championship was in 2003.
 
While everyone in The Rock's lineup hit in game two, Luca Fuscardo and Frankie Jezioro had the best overall doubleheaders on Sunday.
 
Fuscardo combined to go 5-for-9 over the doubleheader with three runs scored, one home run and four RBI. Fuscardo has now hit safely in 11 straight games and has raised his batting average nearly 40 points from .281 on April 14 to .320 at the conclusion Sunday's games.
 
Jezioro was 5-for-7 at the plate against California (23-19, 11-13 PSAC West) with three runs, four RBI, one home run and one stolen base, his team-best 15th of the year.
 
GAME ONE: California 4 – Slippery Rock 3
Game one was a classic showdown between two of the top teams in the PSAC West. Slippery Rock got out to an early two-run lead, before the Vulcans rallied to score four of the game's final five runs en route to a narrow 4-3 victory.
 
With one out and Christian Porterfield on first base, Mitchell Wood belted a two-run home run, his second of the season, to right field in the second inning for the game's first runs.
 
The Rock's 2-0 lead held until the sixth when California evened the game with two runs. After stymieing California for five innings, the Vulcans finally got to starting pitcher Chris Anastas in the sixth for two runs. Anastas was taken out of the game after giving up his first run and with no outs and the bases loaded for reliever Wyatt Daugherty. Daugherty did an admirable job working out of the jam by recording three outs while only allowing one runner to score.
 
However, California got to Daugherty for two runs in the seventh to break the tie and jump ahead 4-2. Jezioro gave The Rock hope with a leadoff home run in the seventh and Matt Mandes drew a one-out walk, but would be stranded at first base as California relief pitcher Corey Fogle came on for starter Tyler Eritz to retire consecutive batters following Mandes' walk to close out the one-run win.
 
Jezioro and Fuscardo were both 2-for-3 in the opener. Wood, Porterfield and Joe Campagna accounted for The Rock's remaining three hits.
 
Anastas gave up just two runs on two walks and seven hits over five innings of work. Daugherty (3-3) pitched the final two innings for SRU, allowing two runs on four hits.
 
GAME TWO: Slippery Rock 20 – California 5
Everything clicked for The Rock in game two as SRU produced 23 hits, eight of which went for extra bases, and six walks at the plate while Tanner Stanz (2-1) and Ryan Tapp kept the Vulcans in check on the mound on the way to a convincing 20-5 victory.  
 
SRU did all of its damage in three innings with three runs in the first, 10 in the fourth and seven in the sixth. Slippery Rock had 16 at-bats in its 10-run fourth inning.
 
All 10 Rock players to record an at-bat had at least one hit with Tyler Walters leading the way by going a perfect 5-for-5 with three runs, two RBI and a pair of doubles. Walters is now batting .379 with a .484 slugging percentage in 2018.
 
The trio of Jezioro, Fuscardo and Abraham Mow all posted three-hit games with Mow blasting one homer, driving in two and scoring four times. Mow's nine home runs this season are tied for the second most by a freshman in program history. Fuscardo also had a home run to go with three runs and four RBI. Not to be out done, Jezioro plated three runs and notched one triple.
 
Kyle Wise collected two hits, one of which being a bases loaded triple in the fourth inning, two runs and four RBI. Porterfield and Campagna came away with two hits apiece as well with Porterfield scoring twice and Campagna collecting his 38th and 39th RBI of the year.
 
Wood, Ray Scala and Tyler Merigliano concluded the hit parade with one apiece. Merigliano plated two runs with his hit and a bases-loaded walk.
 
Stanz improved to 2-1 in 2018 after scattering five runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out four batters in 4.1 innings. Tapp came on in relief of Stanz and shutdown the Vulcans over the final 2.2 innings of play.
 
Prior to Sunday's games the Slippery Rock senior class of Mandes, Porterfield, Wise, Fuscardo, Walters, Wood, Alex Pantuso, Matt Gorodon, Stephen McKee, Andrew Null and Shawn Holman were recognized for their contributions to the program over their career.
 
Slippery Rock will break from its PSAC West schedule for a final non-conference doubleheader when it hosts Walsh University May 1 at Jack Critchfield Park. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.
 



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