CLERMONT, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University softball team settled for a split against opponents No. 25 Winona State University and West Chester University Thursday at the National Training Center Softball Tournament in Clermont, Florida. After a game one loss to the Warriors, 7-0, SRU battled back for a walk-off victory against the Golden Rams in game two, 3-2.
Leah Vith continued her five-game hitting streak going 4-for-6 on the day with two RBI. She also tallied the game-winning hit in game two. During her five-game stretch she's hitting .562 (9-for-16) with a home run and eight RBI.
Camie Shumaker was also impressive in the circle winning her fourth straight start after the win over WCU. In those four starts she carries a 1.30 ERA (5 ER in 27 IP) and has struck out 21 batters.
Slippery Rock is now 4-6 in the Spring Games bringing its season record to 5-10.
Game One: Slippery Rock 0 - #25 Winona St. 7
Slippery Rock was held to just three hits and was blanked in the game against the Warriors, 7-0. Vith tallied a pair of hits while
Megan Brown ripped a single.
It was a pitcher's duel until the fifth inning. SRU's
Chloe Sharman scattered five hits through the first four keeping WSU's hitters at bay.
It wasn't until the fifth inning that Winona State broke through with three unearned runs. After Carly Kordich reached on an error to lead off the inning, she advanced to second on a wild pitch. Katie Kolb then singled to center, but it got by
Alexa Guglielmino allowing the run to score and Kolb to advance to second. Next, Kayla Kerkman reached on an error allowing Kolb to move to third. Lani Van Zyl then singled scoring Kolb, and Allison Nowak would ground out to score Kerkman putting WSU ahead, 3-0.
SRU looked to answer back in the top of the sixth after Vith's one-out double, but it was unable to push her across.
Winona State would add on four more runs in the bottom of the sixth off a string of singles giving the Warriors a 7-0 advantage.
WSU then retired Slippery Rock's side in order earning the victory, 7-0.
Winona State's Jordyn Kiernan (W, 6-0) earned the win hurling the complete-game shutout scattering three hits and three walks while striking out eight.
Sharman (L, 0-1) took the loss going six innings allowing seven runs (four earned) on 13 hits and a walk while setting down four batters.
Game Two: Slippery Rock 3 – West Chester 2
SRU scattered 10 hits in a walk-off victory over West Chester, 3-2. The Rock offense could not get many timely hits trailing most of the game. However, Vith's one-out two RBI single in the bottom of the seventh turned out to be the difference.
West Chester scored both of its two runs in the first inning on a trio of hits. Annamarie Hartman singled to get on and Emily Maseth would then triple to score her. With Maseth on third, Heidi McCollester would follow with a single through the right side putting West Chester up, 2-0.
Slippery Rock was able answer back in the bottom of the third when it loaded the bases.
Aubrey Allen led off the inning with a single and after being moved over on a sacrifice bunt by
Caitlyn MacKelvey, Guglielmino singled to put two runners on. Brown then singled to load the bases for
Kailey Myers who on a 1-0 count, got hit by the pitch allowing Allen to come across putting the score at, 2-1.
Shumaker kept the score there with a solid stretch of innings. After surrendering three hits in the first, she only allowed one for the rest of the contest keeping the Golden Rams in check.
Slippery Rock had runners on in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but were unable to level the score.
However, in the bottom of the seventh, SRU got its chance to tie, or even win the game. Myers got on with a one-out single and
Cortney Claypoole pinch-ran for her.
Maggie Moore then singled to left putting two runners on.
Adeline Nicholson walked on four pitches loading the bases. The red hot Vith stepped to the plate and smoked one towards third taking a tough hop into the outfield allowing Claypoole and Moore to score giving The Rock its second walk-off victory of the week.
Shumaker (W, 5-4) earned the victory hurling all seven innings allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out five.
Maegen Kavanagh (L, 1-2) took the loss going 1.2 IP surrendering two runs on four hits and a walk.
West Chester's Reilly Gearhart started the game going 4.2 IP allowing one run on six hits and a walk while sitting down two.
Up Next
Slippery Rock will conclude its trip in Florida Friday with a pair of games against Bridgeport and Le Moyne. First pitch is set for 11:30 a.m.
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