SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team split a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division doubleheader against Clarion University Monday at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
The Rock and Golden Eagles traded lopsided wins as Clarion took the opener, 10-3, before Slippery Rock re-grouped to earn a 9-2 split-salvaging win in game two.
 
With the split, Slippery Rock's record moves to 19-12 overall and 10-10 in league games while Clarion exits the day at 12-19 overall and 10-12 in the PSAC West.
 
With eight games left in the regular season, SRU currently sits sixth in the league standings. The top four teams in the PSAC West at the conclusion of the regular season qualify for the conference tournament. While SRU is currently outside of the top four, a strong showing over the final eight games of the year could vault The Rock back into postseason contention.
 
Alex Robenolt went 4-for-6 over the doubleheader with three runs scored, a double and one walk. Nick Reynosa was 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBI and a walk while Koby Bubash was 3-for-6 with two runs and an RBI. Two of Bubash's three hits over the two games went for doubles.
 
GAME ONE: Clarion 10 – Slippery Rock 3
An eight-run fifth inning was the deciding factor in the Golden Eagles' 10-3 victory in game one.
 
Slippery Rock carried a 1-0 lead into the fifth courtesy of an RBI-single by Nick Reynosa. However, Clarion put any thoughts of a Rock victory to rest in the inning as CU produced eight runs by taking advantage of three Rock fielding errors in addition to eight hits in the frame.
 
Clarion went on to score two more runs in the sixth while The Rock added a pair of scores in the seventh as Joe Ehland was walked with the bases loaded followed by Evan Knaus being hit by a pitch to bring a pair runs in before reliver Joe Rossi came on to register the game's final out and put away a 10-3 CU win.
 
Robenolt and Reynosa both went 2-for-3 with one run scored in game one with Robenolt tallying his 16th double of the year and Reynosa driving in one run. Bubash, Knaus, Colin Cain, Connor Hamilton and Jon Kozarian all chipped in hits as well. Ehland earned his first career RBI via his bases-loaded walk in the seventh.  
 
Slippery Rock used four pitchers in the loss. Travis Holman (1-2) was the pitcher of record after giving up seven runs, five of which were earned, on eight hits and one walk over 4.1 innings. Holman also struck out six batters, his second highest total of the year.
 
Zach Hernon gave up one run and three hits in relief of Holman before giving way to JT Wolke, who pitched 1.2 innings with two runs surrendered. Nolan Brannon made his season debut by striking out two batters and not giving up a run in the seventh inning.
 
Anthony Tucci (1-1) struck out seven Rock hitters in 6.2 innings for the Golden Eagles. Nick Fugh paced Clarion's offense with one home run and four RBI.
 
GAME TWO: Slippery Rock 9 – Clarion 2
Slippery Rock bounced back from a tough game-one defeat thanks to a great outing on the mound by Colby Anderson (1-0) and a spirited performance by SRU's batters en route to a 9-2 victory.
 
In what was his first collegiate start, Anderson provided The Rock with five innings of one-run baseball that saw the freshman rack up four strikeouts and scatter two hits and five walks throughout his quality start.
 
Anderson, who carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, was pulled in favor of Andy McClymonds in the sixth inning. McClymonds allowed one run on two hits in an inning of work. Drew Delaney pitched a perfect seventh inning to finish off the win. Delaney has now allowed just one run in his six relief appearances this year.
 
The Rock's offense had nine hits in game two. Joel Spishock led the way via a 2-for-3 showing at the plate that included one home run, his first in a Rock uniform, and two RBI. Robenolt and Bubash also went 2-for-3 with Robenolt scoring twice and walking once while Bubash had one RBI.
 
Leadoff hitter Abraham Mow was 1-for-2 with two walks, one run and one RBI. Reynosa chipped in a 1-for-2, one-run, one-RBI effort. Hamilton was 1-for-3 with a run and a walk, Knaus had one RBI and Luke Trueman walked twice to round out SRU's top performers.
 
As was the case in the opener, game two was decided largely in part due to one big inning as Slippery Rock exploded for seven runs in the second; highlighted by Spishock's two-run home run. SRU totaled two more insurance runs in the fourth when Hamilton scored on a wild pitch and Reynosa plated Robenolt thanks to a sacrifice fly.
 
Clarion used five pitchers in game two. Starter Dan Miller (0-1) took the loss after allowing five runs on two hits and three walks in 1.1 innings.
 
Slippery Rock is back in action Tuesday when it hosts No. 7 Seton Hill University for a PSAC West doubleheader at Jack Critchfield Park. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.




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