PETERSBURG, Va. – The Slippery Rock University softball team secured its first victory of the 2020 season in a non-conference doubleheader split at Virginia State University Saturday afternoon. SRU won game one, 10-8, in 12 innings followed by a 7-4 loss in game two.
 
The Rock (1-3) plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning in the first contest to force extra innings, then used a three-run top of the 12th to secure the 10-8 comeback victory over the Trojans (1-7).
 
In game two, VSU totaled seven runs on eight hits to take a 7-1 lead into the seventh inning. The Rock mounted a comeback, scoring three in the seventh, but ultimately fell short in a 7-4 loss.
 
Sara Mikulec led the SRU offense on the day, finishing a combined 6-for-11 with a triple and five RBI while Becca Roesch added a 4-for-10 day with two RBI.
 
Game One: Slippery Rock 10 – Virginia State 8 (12 Innings)
The Rock used a two-run Mikulec single in the sixth inning to force extra innings followed by a three-run top of the 12th to secure a 10-8 comeback win over VSU.
 
Camie Shumaker (1-1, 2.33 ERA) pitched all 12 innings for SRU, allowing only two earned runs while striking out four. Mikulec paced The Rock at the plate in game one, going 4-for-7 with four RBI while Roesch and Alexa Guglielmino adding three hits including the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 12th.
 
Virginia State jumped out to a 4-1 lead over The Rock through the first three innings only for SRU to respond with three unanswered runs to tie the game at 4-4 and force extra innings.
 
The Rock and Trojans would both go onto score two runs in the eighth and one apiece in the 10th to head into the 11th inning knotted at 7-7.  
 
Following a scoreless 11th inning, Slippery Rock took back the lead in the 12th thanks to an Guglielmino RBI-single followed by a run-scoring groundout and a Roesch RBI-single to stretch its lead to 10-7.
 
VSU plated one run in the bottom of the frame, but Shumaker escaped the inning by enducing a game-ending double play leading to SRU's first victory of the 2020 season.
 
Game Two: Virginia State 7 – Slippery Rock 4
The Rock struck first on a Mikulec RBI single in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead, but VSU responded with seven unanswered runs over five innings to take a 7-1 lead into the seventh inning.
 
Slippery Rock attempted another comeback in the seventh inning when Roesch drove in Lexie Zavarelle via a single to cut The Rock's deficit to 7-2. Maggie Moore followed Roesch with a two-run base hit of her own, scoring Roesch and Mikulec, further trimming the Trojan lead to 7-4.
 
However, VSU starter Leah Harrison was ultimately able to escape the jam as she retired Holland Tolliver to end the game and secure the first win of the 2020 season for Virginia State.
 
Chloe Sharman (0-2, 14.00 ERA) took the loss after allowing five runs, three of which were earned while walking one batter and striking out four over three innings of work. Claire Zimmerman came on for Sharman in the fourth inning, scattering two runs on one hit and a pair of walks over the final three innings of play.
 
Lexie Zavarelle guided The Rock's offense with a 3-for-4, two run effort from atop the Slippery Rock batting order.
 

UP NEXT
Slippery Rock will play a second doubleheader against Virginia State Sunday afternoon with first pitch of game one slated for 12 p.m.


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