JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team was swept in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division doubleheader at Pitt-Johnstown Saturday.
 
Pitt-Johnstown (19-13, 7-7 PSAC West) scored four runs in the seventh inning to earn a 4-3 walk off-victory in game one followed by a 9-2 win over Slippery Rock (12-17, 3-11 PSAC West) in game two.
 
GAME ONE: Pitt-Johnstown 4 – Slippery Rock 3
Pitt-Johnstown overcame a three-run deficit with four runs in the seventh inning to secure a 4-3 comeback victory in the opener.
 
Slippery Rock had plenty of scoring opportunities early, but was unable to capitalize as SRU stranded two runners in the first, three in both the second and third innings as well as two more in the fourth.
 
However, The Rock was finally able to break through in the sixth inning via a two-run double by Abraham Mow that plated Ray Scala and Frankie Jezioro. Colin Cain then added an insurance run for The Rock in the seventh with a solo home run, his fourth of the season.
 
Wyatt Daugherty, who breezed through the first six innings, loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Asher Corl drove a two-run double down the left field line to pull UPJ within one run of The Rock with runners on second and third.
 
It appeared as if SRU was going to escape with the win after Daugherty struck out Lennox Pugh for the inning's second out, but Owen McKeever proceeded to hit a two-run single up the middle for the 4-3 Mountain Cat walk-off win.
 
Slippery Rock, which had 10 hits in the opener, stranded 14 runners on base over the seven innings.
 
Jezioro, Cain and Jon Kozarian all registered two hits with both of Jezioro's coming by way of doubles and Cain slugging his aforementioned solo home run. Mow, Tyler Merigliano, Luke Trueman and Ray Scala recorded one hit apiece while Joe Campagna walked three times.
 
Daugherty (3-3) finished with a final stat line of four runs allowed on six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over 105 pitches. He allowed just two hits heading into the seventh inning.
 
Dylan Heid went 5.2 innings for UPJ, striking out 10 batters while allowing two runs on nine hits and five walks. Ben Briggs (3-0) got the win after pitching the final 1.1 innings. He gave up one run.
 
GAME TWO: Pitt-Johnstown 9 - Slippery Rock 2
Slippery Rock was unable to earn a doubleheader split as Pitt-Johnstown was able to close out the sweep with a 9-2 victory in game two.
 
Trailing 2-0 entering the third inning, Slippery Rock posted a pair of runs to even the score thanks to a two-run single by Trueman that brought in Mow and Merigliano. However, the tie was short-lived as UPJ added seven runs over the following three innings to jump out to a 9-2 advantage it would never relinquish on the way to its eventual seven-run victory.
 
Slippery Rock used three pitchers in game two. Tanner Stanz (2-3) took the mound to start the game and exited after four innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and one walk. Ryan Tapp came on for Stanz, but made it just 0.1 innings with five runs given up. Derek Boben threw the final 1.2 innings.
 
Trueman accounted for two of The Rock's five hits in addition to walking once. Campagna, Merigliano and Kyle Bowser had base hits as well in the defeat. Jezioro and Scala all reached base as well via walks. Campagna has now reached base in 29 straight games.
 
Brandon Roxby earned the win for UPJ after holding The Rock to two runs over six innings. Eric Ford pitched a scoreless seventh inning to end the game.
 
If weather permits, Slippery Rock and Pitt-Johnstown will play a doubleheader Sunday at Jack Critchfield Park. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
 


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