SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team dropped both ends of a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division doubleheader to Gannon University Sunday at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
Gannon took the opener from The Rock 6-3 followed by a 7-2 victory in game two. Slippery Rock exits the weekend at 6-9 overall and 0-4 in the PSAC West. The surging Golden Knights leave SRU at 14-6 overall and 4-0 in conference games.
 
Frankie Jezioro finished The Rock's first home doubleheader of 2019 by going a combined 3-for-7 over the doubleheader with three runs scored, two doubles, one home run and one RBI. Jezioro has hit a team-best three home runs this season and has six hits in his last 15 at-bats.
 
Joe Campagna belted a pair of doubles Sunday to up his season total to 10, the second most of any hitter in the PSAC.
 
GAME ONE: GANNON 6 – SLIPPERY ROCK 3
SRU carried a narrow two-run lead into the fifth inning before Gannon rallied to post six straight runs in the last three innings for a 6-3 win in the opener.
 
Jezioro doubled to lead off the bottom of the first inning and later advanced to third base on a groundout by Ray Scala before eventually scoring on an Abraham Mow RBI-single for the game's first run. Mow drove in The Rock's second run of the day as well in the third inning when his infield groundout allowed Scala, who singled previously in the inning before moving to third on a Campagna double, to score and give The Rock a 2-0 lead.
 
However, in the fifth inning Gannon was finally able to get to Wyatt Daugherty (2-1), who was dominant through the opening four frames. Jared Beach led off the fifth with a solo home run and Justin Hamm produced a one-out single, stole second base and then scored the game-tying run via an Ian Steighner double before Daugherty could get out of the inning with the game tied at 2-2.
 
Nate Cardy provided Gannon with another leadoff home run in the sixth to give the Golden Knights their first lead of the day. Gannon added another score with two outs in the inning on a Rock fielding error. Luke Trueman came on for Daugherty following the second run to record the third out of the inning.
 
Gannon went on to score two insurance runs in the seventh to stretch its lead out to 6-2. Jezioro belted a solo home run in the game's final inning on what was arguably the hardest hit ball of the day, but The Rock was never ever to seriously threaten Gannon's lead as the Golden Knights hung on for a three-run victory.
 
Daugherty, who typically serves as The Rock's closer, performed admirably in what was just his second collegiate start. He went 5.2 innings, giving up four runs on five hits and two walks while pitching a career-high eight strikeouts. Trueman surrendered two runs and struck out three in 1.1 innings of relief work.
 
Jezioro accounted for two of The Rock's seven hits to go with two runs, one RBI, a double and a home run. Scala, Campagna, Mow, Kyle Bowser and Tyler Merigliano provided one hit apiece with Merigliano also walking once.
 
Cory Hegedus (1-1) pitched a complete game seven-hitter for Gannon to earn the win.
 
GAME TWO: GANNON 7 – SLIPPERY ROCK 2
Gannon exploded for four runs in the first inning on the way to a 7-2 sweep-clinching victory in game two.
 
Slippery Rock got one run back from the Golden Knights in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI-double by Campagna that plated Jezioro, who led off the inning with a double of his own, but Gannon went on to score two more unanswered runs followed by an additional insurance run in the fifth en route to the 7-2 victory.
 
SRU was limited to just five hits in the nightcap. Campagna and Jezioro both recorded doubles while Mow, Trueman and Jon Kozarian each posted base hits. Jezioro and Mow also walked one time each. Joe Sibeto reached base twice on a pair of walks as well.
 
Ricky Mineo (0-1) got the start on the mound for SRU, but lasted just 0.2 innings before giving way to Ryan Tapp after giving up four runs on two hits and four walks. Tapp was solid for the majority of his outing as he scattered three runs on six hits and four walks in 5.1 innings pitched. Colin Cain came out of the bullpen to pitch a perfect seventh inning on only seven pitches.
 
Elijah Quiceno hit one home run and had three RBI, Cardy went 4-for-4 and Hamm rounded out Gannon's top hitters with a home run. Eric Sapp (3-1) was the pitcher of record for Gannon. He tossed four strikeouts while giving up two runs on four hits and four walks in four innings. Ty Phelps earned a three-inning save to finish off the day for Gannon.
 
Slippery Rock will now turn its focus to its upcoming four-game series against Seton Hill University. The Rock will host the Griffins for two games on Friday before traveling to SHU for a Saturday doubleheader. First pitch of game one on both days is set for 1 p.m.




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