ERIE, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team fell to Gannon University in a pair of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division games to conclude its season. The Rock were paced in game one by
Maggie Moore and
Megan Brown, but lost 7-6. In game two,
Camie Shumaker held the Golden Knights to just one run, but SRU's offense was unable to get going losing, 1-0.
Brown registered two hits and two RBI, while
Maggie Moore clubbed a two-run homer and totaled three RBI. The Rock had a 6-1 lead entering the bottom of the sixth, but GU registered six runs in the frame for the comeback win.
Game two was more of a pitcher's duel as Shumaker and Madi Beining went toe-to-toe with solid outings. It was Gannon's lone run in the sixth inning that proved to be the difference.
SRU finishes the year with an 18-27 overall record and an 8-12 PSAC West mark falling short of the PSAC Tournament. The Rock will graduate four seniors including Brown,
Andria Copelli,
Caitlyn MacKelvey and
Kailey Myers.
Head coach
Stacey Rice won at least 15 games once again, and has now won that many games in all five seasons she's been at the helm. Rice will be six wins shy of 100 career victories entering the 2020 season.
Game One: Slippery Rock 6 – Gannon 7
The Rock took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but ran into some trouble in the bottom of the frame, falling 7-6.
SRU added a run in the top of the first when Moore grounded out allowing Brown to score from third.
Andria Copelli kept the Golden Knights off the board early and The Rock added some more runs in the top of the third when Moore crushed a two-run shot to center scoring Brown making it 3-0 Rock.
In the fourth, GU cracked the scoreboard with an RBI single by Autumn Smith.
Myers got in on the homer train in the top of the fifth with a solo shot to right center giving The Rock a 4-1 lead.
Brown padded SRU's lead with a two-RBI single in the top of the sixth to score
Alexa Guglielmino and
Leah Vith.
Gannon's big inning was in the bottom of the sixth. Megan Dietrick homered to put two runs back on the board cutting the deficit to three. Later, Kristina DeMatteis doubled to score a run and with a pair of runners on later in the frame, Maria Taliani singled to score DeMatteis. The Golden Knights then loaded the bases and Smith came up clutch with a two-run single giving Gannon the lead, 7-6.
The Rock were retired in order in the seventh, falling in game one, 7-6.
Kellyn Perich (W, 3-2) picked up the win in relief. She went 2.2 innings, allowed three runs on four hits and had four strikeouts.
Beining got the save hurling the seventh inning and punching out one batter.
Chloe Sharman (L, 5-10) took the loss going 1.0 innings surrendering four runs (two earned) on four hits and one walk, while punching out three.
Copelli pitched solid in her start going 5.0 innings giving up three runs on eight scattered hits and three walks, while striking out three.
Game Two: Slippery Rock 0 – Gannon 1
Shumaker and Beining dueled it out in game two and Brown and MacKelvey had two hits apiece, but it wasn't enough as SRU fell, 1-0.
It looked as if Gannon was going to score in the bottom of the first after back-to-back singles to start the inning. Shumaker settled however, and retired the next three batters in order.
Brown got on second in the top of the third, but Beining got
Adeline Nicholson and Moore out to keep the game scoreless.
In the top of the fourth,
Becca Roesch bunted
Cortney Claypoole into scoring position, but Beining punched out the next two to end the threat.
Following a couple more frames of scoreless ball, Gannon got its deciding run on a Taliani double to score DeMatteis, putting GU ahead, 1-0.
Beining retired the side in order to conclude the contest for the Gannon win.
Beining (W, 14-5) hurled the complete-game shutout scattering six hits and striking out 11.
Shumaker (L, 13-11) got the loss going 6.0 strong innings allowing one run on seven hits, while punching out four.
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