SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team split a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division doubleheader against Mercyhurst University Friday at Jack Critchfield Park.
The Rock took the opener in impressive fashion, 10-2, before dropping game two, 7-5. The split puts SRU's record to 17-10 overall and 8-8 in the PSAC West while the Lakers move to 21-12 overall and 16-10 in league games.
SRU was led over the doubleheader by
Connor Hamilton, who went a combined 4-for-7 on the day with five runs scored, two home runs and five RBI. Hamilton's five-RBI afternoon pushes him into a tie with
Jon Kozarian for the most RBI on the team in 2021 at 24.
Evan Knaus also had a productive doubleheader against the Lakers by going 3-for-6 with one run, one home run and four RBI. Kozarian went 3-for-7 with four runs scored while
Alex Robenolt and
Nick Reynosa each collected hits in both games as well with Reynosa also tallying three RBI.
On the mound, Slippery Rock enjoyed quality pitching performances from
Luke Trueman (3-3) in game one and reliver
Colby Anderson in game two.
GAME ONE: Slippery Rock 10 – Mercyhurst 2
Slippery Rock combined two huge offensive innings with an outstanding pitching effort by Trueman to earn a 10-2 victory over the Lakers to open the afternoon.
The Lakers plated two runs in the opening inning, but the remainder of the contest belonged to The Rock as Trueman settled in and the dangerous SRU offense exploded for its fourth double-digit run game of the year.
Trailing 2-0 following a half inning of play, SRU quickly erased its deficit with a five-run first inning that featured home runs by Knaus and
Abraham Mow as well as RBI-doubles from Hamilton and Robenolt.
The three-run lead was all that Trueman needed as he did not surrender another run over the next six innings while scattering four hits throughout the remainder of the game to shut down the Mercyhurst offense.
The Rock's bats went on to add a run in the third via a run-scoring single by Knaus before busting the game open thanks to four runs in the fifth inning as Hamilton belted a two-run home run and Reynosa shot a two-run double to centerfield as SRU cruised to its eight-run win.
Trueman picked up the complete-game victory by striking out a career-high eight batters and giving up two runs on seven hits and one walk.
Hamilton and Knaus both went 2-for-3 with three RBI in game one. Hamilton scored three runs, while adding a home run and double in addition to one walk. Knaus' home run was his first in a Rock uniform.
Mow's home run marked his team-leading sixth of the season. Kozarian, Robenolt, Reynosa,
Colin Cain and
Vince Donato all had one hit apiece with Kozarian scoring twice.
Michael McDonough (1-3) gave up six runs on five hits and two walks in two innings pitched in the loss for Mercyhurst. Tyler Zaluski had three doubles to lead MU's bats.
GAME TWO: Mercyhurst 7 – Slippery Rock 5
The Rock and Lakers both started out fast in game two before a pair of great relief efforts by both teams quieted its counterparts' bats as the Mercyhurst edged SRU 7-5 to salvage the day with a doubleheader split.
In what was a reminiscent scene from game one, Mercyhurst once again got to SRU early with three runs in the top of the first only for Slippery Rock to answer back courtesy of a two-run home run from Hamilton.
Mercyhurst responded to The Rock's comeback bid by plating four runs over the next two innings to push its advantage to 7-2.
Slippery Rock continued its rally with three additional runs in the third inning by way of RBI-singles off the bats of Reynosa and Knaus as well as a sacrifice fly by Trueman to cut the Lakers' lead down to 7-5.
However, any thought of a comeback ended in the third inning as Laker reliever Michael Krauza threw four shutout innings to give Mercyhurst its two-run win. Krauza struck out eight batters and gave up just one hit, a
Koby Bubash single in the seventh, over 4.1 total innings pitched.
Kozarian and Hamilton turned in matching 2-for-4, two-run showings in game two with Hamilton also driving in two runs with his second home run of the day. Bubash joined Hamilton and Kozarian with multi-hit game as well.
The quartet of Reynosa, Knaus, Trueman and Robenolt rounded out The Rock's top hitters in the nightcap with a hit apiece.
Travis Holman (1-1) was the pitcher of record for The Rock in game two. He gave up six runs on six hits and three walks in two innings pitched.
Colby Anderson came on for Holman and proceeded to give up just one run on a hit and three walks all the while striking out seven batters in 4.2 innings out of the bullpen. Anderson has now allowed just one run in the first seven innings pitched of his collegiate career.
Drew Delaney finished out the game for SRU by recording the final out of the top of the seventh with the bases loaded.
Slippery Rock will close out its four-game series with the Lakers when it travels to Mercyhurst for a doubleheader Saturday. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.
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