SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Kelsi Anderson and
Chloe Sharman combined to allow just one unearned run in a pair of complete-game efforts to lead the Slippery Rock University softball team to a sweep in its non-conference doubleheader against Fairmont State University Wednesday at the SRU Softball Complex.
The Rock (12-24, 8-20 PSAC West) took game one, 3-0, before completing the sweep over the Fighting Falcons (21-13, 17-11 MEC North) with a 2-1 walk-off win in game two. SRU has now won four of its last six games.
Erin Gardner led The Rock offense over the two games, going 3-for-5 with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base while
Julianna Hutchinson went 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
Regan Hozak,
Anna Villies and
Leah Vith rounded out the top performers at the plate for SRU with one RBI apiece.
Game One: Slippery Rock 3, Fairmont State 0
Slippery Rock parlayed a three-run fifth inning with a complete-game, five-hit shutout by Anderson (5-8, 2.60 ERA) to secure a 3-0 game one victory.
The complete-game shutout was the first such effort of Anderson's career in addition to the freshman striking out five batters, the third-highest single-game strikeout total of her career.
Gardner, Hozak and Villies paced the SRU lineup, combining for three hits and three RBI in addition to
Alexa Guglielmino recording a single.
Hannah Workman and Courtney Moyer led the FSU offense, accounting for four of the five hits allowed by Anderson. Cierra Chastain (8-5, 2.16 ERA) took a no-decision after yielding just one hit over three innings pitched before giving way to Shelby Reed (0-1, 3.50 ERA) was the pitcher of record after giving up three runs, two being earned, on three hits over 1.1 innings.
The Rock opened the scoring in the fifth with three-straight RBI-singles from the trio of Hozak, Gardner and Villies, giving Slippery Rock a three-run advantage. That would be all the support Anderson would need, as the freshman went on to retire six of the final nine batters she faced to secure the 3-0 win.
FSU seemed poised to break the game open early when it loaded the bases with just one out in the third inning. However, Anderson bounced back by forcing consecutive flyouts to get out of the jam. From there on, the game belonged to Anderson and The Rock's offense.
Game Two: Slippery Rock 2, Fairmont State 1
With two outs and the game seemingly headed for extra-innings, Vith lined a hard-hit single up the middle, scoring Hutchinson from third to cap off a 2-1 walk-off victory in game two.
Sharman (4-7, 2.75 ERA) was dominant in the circle, allowing just one unearned run while striking out three in the sophomore's third-straight complete-game effort.
Gardner, Hutchinson and
Maggie Moore led The Rock offense, recording two hits apiece while Vith picked up the lone RBI for SRU in the game.
Workman and Torrie Gall tallied one double each to lead the Fairmont State offense while starting pitcher Caitlyn Kassay (5-2, 1.49 ERA) took a no-decision after allowing three hits and striking out four in three innings of work. Ashley Strauss (2-2, 3.29 ERA) suffered the loss after yielding the game-winning run along with three hits over 1.2 innings.
Slippery Rock struck first in game two when Hutchison stole home following a Gardner walk, giving SRU a one-run advantage in the fifth. The Fighting Falcons responded with a one-out, run-scoring single by Gall in the top of the seventh to tie the game.
In the home half of the frame, Hutchinson recorded a leadoff single before moving to second on a wild pitch one batter later. Gardner tallied a single of her own following the wild pitch, setting The Rock up with runners on first and third with just one out.
Following a strikeout, Vith came to the plate and with two strikes, lined the game-winning single up the middle, bringing home Hutchinson to cement the 2-1 game-two win and a sweep of the doubleheader.
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock returns to action Friday as it travels to Mercyhurst University to begin a four-game Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division series. First pitch of game one is set for 2:30 p.m.
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