WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University softball team split a pair of contests against Southwest Minnesota State University and Saint Thomas Aquinas College Thursday at The Spring Games in Winter Haven, Florida.
The Rock (6-10) picked up a 4-3 walk-off win in eight innings over Southwest Minnesota State (8-7) in game one followed by a 2-0 loss to Saint Thomas Aquinas (1-9) in game two.
Regan Hozak led The Rock offense over the two-game slate, finishing a combined 3-for-7 including a walk-off single in game one and three RBI while
Alexa Guglielmino and
Maggie Moore each added a double in game one.
Game One: Rock 4, Southwest Minnesota State 3 (8 Innings)
The Rock trailed by three runs heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, but responded with four unanswered runs including a walk-off RBI-single by Hozak to pick up the 4-3, eight-inning victory over Southwest Minnesota State.
The Mustangs got out to an early advantage after a three-run fifth inning thanks to back-to-back RBI hits followed by a sacrifice fly to take a 3-0 lead and force a Rock pitching change with starter
Chloe Sharman giving way to
Camie Shumaker (5-4, 1.81 ERA) who was able to escape the inning without further damage.
Slippery Rock added its first run of the day in the bottom of the fifth on a Guglielmino RBI-double, scoring pinch runner
Kaitlyn Bowman from third to cut the Mustang lead to 3-1.
Following another scoreless frame from Shumaker, The Rock loaded the bases for Hozak and after working the count full, the sophomore laced a single through the right side, scoring two runs and tying the game at 3-3.
Shumaker would continue her dominant performance in relief following the Hozak single, allowing just one base runner over the next two innings.
In the home half of the eighth frame, a Moore sacrifice bunt moved the placed runner Shumaker to third with only one out. On an 0-1 count, Hozak ripped a single to center field, scoring Shumaker and securing a 4-3 walk-off win for SRU over Southwest Minnesota State.
Hozak led the SRU offense in game one, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Guglielmino added a double and an RBI in a 1-for-3 day at the plate while Moore added a double.
Despite taking a no-decision, Sharman turned in a solid outing in the circle for SRU by allowing three runs, one being earned, on three hits and two walks while tying her career-high in strikeouts with six.
Shumaker did not allow a hit over the final four innings of relief while walking one and striking out two in what was the junior's 26th career victory, tying Jenn Shnyder (1998-01) for the seventh most career victories by a pitcher in program history.
SMSU starter Shelby Bloemenddal took a no-decision after allowing just one run on two hits along with three strikeouts over five innings of work. Megan Cull took the loss in relief of Bloemenddal after allowing three runs, two being earned, while walking two and striking out three over the final 2.1 innings.
Game Two: Saint Thomas Aquinas 2, Rock 0
Saint Thomas Aquinas used a pair of RBI-doubles and a complete-game, three hit shutout by starting pitcher Paige Toothaker (1-4) to secure a 2-0 victory over Slippery Rock.
Shumaker, The Rock game two starter, took the loss despite allowing just two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three over six innings of work.
SRU had three hits against STAC provided by Hozak, Moore and
Becca Roesch.
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock returns to action Friday for its final two-game slate of The Spring Games against Ashland University at 10 a.m. and the University of Bridgeport at 12:15 p.m.
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