SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team fell in both games against Lock Haven University Tuesday at the SRU Softball Complex. After a 2-0 loss that was a pitcher's duel in game one, SRU fell behind early in game two and could not make a comeback losing, 7-5.
Slippery Rock ran into one of the top pitchers in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in Bekah Slattery as she hurled the two-hit complete game shutout in game one.
In game two, LHU scored three unearned runs in the third and two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. The Rock registered a run in the fourth and four in the sixth inning cutting the deficit to two. They then put the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh, but were unable tie the game falling, 7-5.
Lock Haven improves to 11-9 on the season following the wins, while Slippery Rock's losses snap a three-game winning streak and put its record at 8-13.
Game One: Slippery Rock 0 – Lock Haven 2
SRU struggled two get the ball out of the infield with Slattery dealing in the circle. Lock Haven needed just two runs winning the contest, 2-0.
The Bald Eagles struck first with a run in the first inning. After a Becca Caputo double, Casey Carpenter drove her in with a double of her own to take the lead, 1-0.
SRU looked to tie the game in bottom of the first putting a runner in scoring position.
Alexa Guglielmino got on first to start things reaching on an error.
Megan Brown then singled putting Guglielmino on second, but Slattery retired the next three batters to end the threat.
Scoring would be stagnant until the fourth when LHU pushed another run across. Madison Mathes hit a one-out double, and with two outs, Slattery doubled to score Mathes giving Lock Haven a 2-0 advantage.
Slippery Rock did put a runner on in the bottom of the sixth later in the game to bring the tying run to the plate, but did not push it across. Slattery would then strike out the side in the bottom of the seventh getting the win, 2-0.
Slattery (W, 6-6) earned the win hurling the complete-game shutout striking out 14 of her 24 batters faced on 99 pitches.
Camie Shumaker (L, 6-6) took the loss, but pitched solid. She surrendered two runs on nine hits and two walks while punching out 10.
Game Two: Slippery Rock 5 – Lock Haven 7
Through the first three innings, SRU struggled to get the bats going, and after allowing five runs through the first five innings, it was too late to crawl out of the hole.
Lock Haven pushed three unearned runs across in the top of the third. Stefani O'Grady got on to lead things off on an error. Faith Ceely later hit a one-out single and Caputo would single two batters later scoring O'Grady. Carpenter then cleared the bases with a two-out double to left putting LHU up, 3-0.
SRU cut the deficit to two in the bottom of the fourth. With
Maggie Moore on second and
Kaitlyn Bowman on third,
Regan Hozak hit a ball to right field that was misplayed allowing Bowman to cross home plate.
Lock Haven did answer back in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs. With a runner on, Carpenter smacked a two-run homer to left center putting LHU ahead, 5-1.
The Bald Eagles then scored two more in the top of the sixth, but SRU answered in the bottom half with a four-spot. With a pair of runners on,
Caitlyn MacKelvey doubled to center scoring both runs. One batter later, Guglielmino hit a towering home run to right cutting the score to 7-5 in favor of LHU. It was Guglielmino's first homer of 2019 and third of her career.
Following a scoreless top of the seventh for Lock Haven, SRU needed two runs to tie it in the bottom half. After two quick outs, Moore singled up the middle and
Leah Vith singled up the middle to put the go-ahead run at the plate and the tying run on first. However,
Kailey Myers grounded out to end the threat as The Rock fell, 7-5.
Kayla Gee (W, 5-3) got the win going 5.2 innings allowing five runs on six hits and four walks while striking out eight batters.
Chloe Sharman (L, 2-2) took the loss going 4.2 innings surrendering five runs (two earned) on seven hits and striking out five.
Slattery (S, 2) got the save hurling 1.1 innings and allowing two hits.
Up Next
Slippery Rock will be the road team in games against California University of Pennsylvania. Due to California's field renovations, The Rock will host CALU for a pair of road games at the SRU Softball Complex Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
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